Eurobodalla Coast Alliance - NSW Coastal Alliance - For Community Information
A statement released by the NSW Transport and Infrastructure Minister Hon., Andrew Constance, after a meeting with Lower Surfside residents in Batemans Bay on 17th December 2018 appears below. Lower Surfside has been identified as a “Coastal Vulnerability Area” under the new NSW Coastal Management Act, and property owners were faced with the prospect of having their property values trashed and their properties surrendered to the sea under an anticipated “planned retreat” policy.
Andrew Constance Statement: 18/12/2018
I want to thank residents for coming at short notice to the community meeting yesterday.
My priority is the protection of and safeguarding of property at Surfside.
‘Planned Retreat’ is not an option and everyone wants to protect property values and see insurance premiums kept in check.
At my instigation RMS are undertaking an assessment to ensure that the building of the new bridge doesn’t have unintended consequences for water and sand movement at Surfside.
I have also ensured that the Minister for the Environment works with local government and most importantly the community to find an engineering solution to stabilising the area, similar to the experience in Lake Macquarie. The NSW Government is looking to find the best solution engineering wise to protect people’s homes.
There are lots of legacy issues that have effected Surfside, including and most probably the sea wall of the southern side of the river and the existing bridge. We need to overcome these as quickly as possible to give certainty to residents .
Over the next few months I will be working closely with residents to find the best solution to stabilising the area and securing funding for the required infrastructure.
Prepared and released by: Eurobodalla Coast Alliance ( Member Group of the NSW Coastal Alliance)
