Members of Wamberal Beach Save Our Sand (SOS) are outraged at the news that Central Coast Council has contributed $100,000 towards a Development Application (DA) being prepared in conjunction with the Wamberal Protection Association (WPA) for a seawall at the popular beach.
SOS spokesperson Corinne Lamont said the transaction had been made “in secret” just before Christmas, and confirmed Council’s intention to be a co-applicant for any seawall DA.
“SOS is aware that WPA celebrated the $100,000 Council contribution in a Christmas email to beachfront property owners,” Lamont said.
“Many local ratepayers are outraged that their funds were quietly gifted to the seawall DA effort that is being driven by the WPA – a small group of private beachfront property owners.
“SOS has repeatedly asked Council for updates on seawall planning developments, with Council recently suggesting SOS should refer to the WPA, not Council, for updates.
“Council’s passive and secretive posture as a seawall co-applicant is alarming as Council, not the WPA, is accountable to the community.
“Council failed to make its $100,000 ‘Christmas contribution’ or landowner agreement signing public.”
But a Council spokesperson said SOS’s comments are misleading.
“In 2022, following scientific studies, community consultation and review of Council’s legislative responsibility in relation to coastal erosion, the Wamberal Beach Terminal Protection Structure Engineering Design Requirements (EDR’s) were developed to assist developers, professional engineering designers and Council in the preparation and evaluation of development applications for coastal protection works at Wamberal Beach,” the spokesperson said.
“The EDRs were adopted by Council in October 2022 and are now considered in the assessment of any development applications for seawall structures at Wamberal Beach.
“Furthermore, Council resolved at that same time that any coastal protection works fronting Council-owned or vested land at the beach access ways and the Wamberal Surf Lifesaving Club also be governed by the EDRs and provision ( be made) for the cost of these works in Council’s Long Term Financial Plan.
“Following these previous resolutions, given Council is a landowner and/or has care and control of areas of Wamberal beach and related areas and given that Council has been working to address coastal erosion risk at Wamberal beach through a whole of embayment solution as per the EDR’s, Council decided in early 2023 to engage with the same design consultants being used by the consortium of landowners being coordinated by the Wamberal Protection Association.
“In line with Council’s resolutions, Council allocated funds towards the preparation of the development application, with the $100,000 in question being Council’s contribution to the development application process for that land that Council owns or has care and control of, not for private properties, as was clearly marked in the Invoice regarding that payment between the parties.”
Lamont said Council continued to be primarily engaged with the WPA, despite a request from the State Government for Council to be more engaged with locals on the seawall issue.
She said the group had emailed Environment and Planning Director Alice Howe, CEO David Farmer and Administrator Rik Hart, asking when Council signed the WPA seawall DA landowner agreement and paid $100,000 towards seawall DA costs.
“Council is aware of the massive public interest in the proposed seawall and should be forthcoming with any seawall updates,” she said.
“Council has no excuse in not providing an update to the community regarding its $100,000 action to progress the Wamberal Beach seawall.
“Council has dedicated at least two staff to work with the WPA on the proposed seawall DA including representation on a WPA technical subcommittee, yet the broader community has not been allocated comparable resources to address ongoing community concerns regarding the seawall.”
SOS and its sister Association, No Wamberal Beach Seawall, recently contacted Wamberal beachfront property owners asking them to join SOS’s efforts to find a better solution for Wamberal Beach.
“SOS has received a positive response, some beachfront landowners preferring a non-seawall solution,” Lamont said.
“Council has written to SOS organisers, saying (it) is acting in the best interest of the broader community, (but) a growing number of beachfront landowners are opposed to a seawall and the broader community do not want one either.”
Lamont said SOS understands that about 65 of 72 beachfront landowners have so far consented to a seawall DA and many of them do not live on the Central Coast.
“Questions remain as to whether NSW Government has transferred Council the right to develop a seawall along five public land lots along the beach,” she said.
“SOS is also concerned that some beachfront landowners have said they are being bullied into a seawall.
“SOS understands the stakes along the beachfront are so high that the WPA has offered seawall payment arrangements to some beachfront landowners who cannot afford their part of the seawall.
“SOS calls on Council, as a co-applicant, to scrutinise these and other financial arrangements.”
SOS will hold a massive no-seawall rally at Wamberal Beach at noon on Sunday, January 21.
Terry Collins
The best place for a seawall at Wamberal is NOT on the beach side, it’s between the beachfront homes and Ocean View Road. That way the sand dune can do it’s natural job and the wall can act as a back up if it is breached.
I think that Wamberal residents should be pleased that the council is interested in keeping residents safe. Shame on those who do not want a sea wall
Forget transparency and open and honest information about any central coast environmental issues with this lot in charge of our ratepayer funds.We need an democratically elected Group of Councillors asap
thank you for this article..so what time is the rally..
thank you
community member
Why should these people that chose to live in the sand be entitled to any public funding at all?
I don’t want my rates going towards these self entitled imbeciles that have built their monstrosities right on the beach
They are all eyesores
Obviously these people weren’t around years ago when most of them crumbled into the Pacific Ocean with the fish.
Council should have made it all public land
But who knows with Central Coast Council
Look at their history lol
MATTHEW 7:26
Why are fools so entitled?
Is the rally on 20th or 21st? The article mentions both.
As of today Tuesday Jan 9 we are told it is Sunday 21 January at noon.
There are other options besides a Seawall that will destroy the beach & cause end effects into both lagoons creating flooding to properties & infrastructure around the lagoons. A council under administration should not be doing this. Sunday 21/1 at 12 noon beach rally should be a huge community event.
Reeks of Monty Python’s skit re The PFD and The JPF…build the wall.
The owners of the Beach Front properties in Wamberal it appears have failed carry out a risk assessment when acquiring those properties due to coastal erosion. The Doctrine of Caveat Emptor BUYER BEWARE principle
The power of Mother Nature is a superior force to any Civil Engineering Design exposed to the ravages of any future East Coast Low
There is no reason that rate payers should subsidise the DA application.
Many Central Coast properties situated in heavily wooded areas are vulnerable to the threat of bushfire. Should the Council contribute to wooded areas, No!
Therefor given that coastal erosion, and fire threat are equally a climate change risks, it is up to any parties settling in risk areas to Manage their risk.
I repeat what I said when I first heard about the proposed Wamberal seawall…..”so council wants to take on nature?” If we work with nature, then we have a chance.
I agree entirely with Mike 10th Jan.