Staff reporters
Byron Shire Council has voted to build ‘interim’ rock protection walls to preserve beach access points at Manfred, Border and Don streets in Belongil.
The decision was taken at an emergency general meeting on Thursday. Crs Dey, Cameron and Spooner voted against the motion.
The rock walls will replace the existing ‘interim’ geobag walls, which themselves are more than 10 years old and requiring substantial repair or replacement.
The council will look to the federal and state governments, as well as affected local landowners, to foot the bill for the construction.
But the council admits that, although they are intended to be interim works, the approval process is likely to be lengthy.
Byron Shire mayor Simon Richardson said the works will be assessed under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 and would require a review of environmental factors (REF) once the designs were completed.
The NSW Coastal Panel will also need to be consulted before any final decision is made.
Mayor Richardson said the time to complete the design and approval process at this stage is unknown.
He added that the use of rock as an interim measure would not restrict the council in preparing its long term coastal management strategies.
The council has authorised the GM to obtain suitable materials, apply for funding and permits and commence construction ‘if all preconditions are able to be satisfied’.
