Sand carting from Semaphore significantly reduced in community compromise
A major sand carting operation at Semaphore beach has been heavily scaled back in a major backdown from the State Government.
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The State Government has backed down from plans to take mass amounts of sand from Semaphore Beach to West Beach after months of intense pressure from protesters.
Environment Minister David Speirs has confirmed the major backflip will mean the majority of sand will now be taken from near the breakwater at Point Malcolm, south of Semaphore – where sand carting has been going on for years.
He has also agreed not to construct a bitumen road through the dunes at Semaphore, which would have been used to allow semi-tipper trucks on to the beach.
It means sand-laden trucks would not have to drive down quiet residential streets as was originally planned.
It is a major change in tact from the government, which has defended the sand carting program it says is needed in the short-term before a $48.4 million sand pipeline to West Beach can be built.
A short period of sand carting would now occur near Semaphore jetty for two or three weeks and be finished before the December school holidays.
Another round of carting would occur in the same location mid-next year – reducing the overall sand loss from Semaphore to 20,000 cubic metres.
The original plan involved taking 100 trucks worth of sand each day from between Semaphore and Largs Bay jetties for as many as 40 weeks over the next two years.
Protesters this week blocked contractors from building a fence around a path through the dunes that was set to be widened and bitumised.
Mr Speirs and representatives of the Department of Environment and Water on Friday met community representatives and protesters to reach a compromise on the project.
Mr Speirs believes the changes would alleviate concern among the Semaphore community.
“While this option is not as efficient as that originally proposed, it will meet our important short-term goals of replenishing beaches at severely eroded West Beach and Henley Beach South over summer,” Mr Speirs said.
“Projects like this need the support of local communities and it was clear that significant concerns had emerged about what was planned.”
Semaphore resident Matthew Mitchell – whose house is directly across from where the road was to be built – said he was “absolutely delighted” with the compromise.
“I’m pleased that the minister has come to the table and delighted that people power can still have an effect in our democratic process,” Mr Mitchell said.
“I’m delighted that Semaphore will continue to be such a beautiful place in which to live.
“I’m not a scientist, but my limited understanding is that if they’re only going to take 20,000 cubic metres, then we can happily live with it.”
Opposition environment spokeswoman Susan Close said the backdown was a “great victory for the local community and everyone who loves Semaphore beach and dunes”.
“We need to understand more detail on their alternative, including how much more sand they propose to take from Point Malcolm, and the resulting damage to the beach along that southern stretch,” Ms Close said.
“I remain supportive of bringing sand in from an external source, as is recommended by the experts employed by the government, to remedy the West Beach problem.”