Semaphore South to West Beach sand pipeline approved, build could begin in April

A plan to pump sand to West Beach from Semaphore could start to become reality as soon as April.

A contentious $38.9 million sand pipeline to replenish West Beach has been approved by the state’s planning Minister on the eve of election caretaker period, with construction to begin as soon as April.

The pumping system will “recycle” sand that accumulates on the northern beaches and send it back down a 10km pipeline from Semaphore South to severely eroded West Beach.

On Friday Environment Minister David Speirs said he “welcomed the approval from the independent State Commission Assessment Panel”, which enabled the Planning Minister to sign off on the project.

“This means we can get on with delivering this project which will benefit the entire metropolitan coastline and restore beaches such as West Beach, which have suffered devastating erosion over recent decades,” he said.

“Once completed and operational, the pipeline will significantly reduce the need for trucks on our beaches to move sand, which will be better for the environment, safer for the community, as well as reducing noise and traffic congestion.

“This environmentally sustainable, long-term solution will replicate the pipeline built by the former Labor Government between Glenelg and Kingston Park which has saved Adelaide’s southern beaches supporting a strong dune system, revegetation and brought back wildlife such as the iconic hooded plover.”

The plan would pump sand from Semaphore beach to West Beach. Picture: Brenton Edwards

But SA Labor deputy leader, Environment spokeswoman and Member for Port Adelaide, Dr Susan Close, had hoped the decision would be deferred until after the election.

“I am appalled that the government has decided to railroad this project through, despite community opposition and despite a change to the project announced via press release that implies a second stage of the pipeline will be imposed on the Semaphore and Largs Bay beaches,” she said.

“Without any access to the contracts, it is impossible to know what can be stopped and how … all I can say is that I will use every legal avenue in my power, should I be Minister, to fulfil my election commitment to halt the project in order to conduct a review into alternatives that are less disruptive to the community, less environmentally harmful and that maximise sand staying on West Beach.”

SCAP received 194 community submissions on the project, including 51 from Semaphore, Semaphore Park and Semaphore South, 34 from Largs Bay, 24 from Grange, 21 from Tennyson and West Lakes Shore.

Of these, 170 opposed the development, and 24 (mainly from West Beach and Henley Beach) were in favour.

Save West Beach Sand spokesman John Dundon said it was “absolutely brilliant news for the entire metro coast”.

“We can’t afford to be selfish about individual beaches when we’re all connected,” he said.

“West Beach has been left unnourished for such a long period of time, where the profile is so degraded, to finally get sand back, coming in on a regular basis, is going to be absolutely fantastic.”

Sand carting at Semaphore Jetty. Picture: Brenton Edwards

While Robyn Ravalico of Grange successfully campaigned to stop the government taking sand for the pipeline from her part of the coastline, she remains deeply concerned about the project including dune destruction for the underground pipeline.

“For a government to sign off on such a clearly incomplete plan that was altered at the last minute, which has now rendered it unworkable and not fit for purpose, shows an irresponsible and reckless regard for the state’s incredibly valuable natural beach assets, the environment and the people,” she said.

“The whole process of community consultation by DEW has been one of obfuscation, misleading information and basically division.”

She said the “lack of true and genuine consultation” with the Kaurna community was unconscionable.

Save Our Shores: Semaphore Largs Bay spokeswoman Kay Ronai is “devastated but determined”.

“We will fight for what’s right for our community and the Adelaide Beach System,” she said.

“We are disappointed in the last minute changes announced, without consultation or notice, by Environment Minister David Spiers, days before the SCAP planning process started. And our community is shocked at the lack of transparency in the planning process, and the expediency.

“We have not given up. We know there are better alternatives than this flawed pipeline.”

A picture of a pump house similar to those the public are objecting to. Picture: Environment Department.

SCAP DECISION MAKING

The state’s planning body met on Monday to discuss the controversial sand-pumping system for the seventh time, before formulating its recommendation to Planning Minister Josh Teague.

It was the last chance for the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) to quiz the Department for Environment and Heritage, Environment Protection Authority and Coastal Protection Board.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport’s executive director Jon Whelan was also present as he would “get the exciting bit, to do the delivery … on behalf of DEW”.

“We can’t really afford to have this deferred at this point in time,” he told SCAP. “We have the design, we have the construction team, we have the system ready to implement.”

The project aims to limit coastal erosion by pumping sand that drifts north back to beaches further south.

But some residents are opposed to the project, arguing it will damage dunes at Semaphore and Largs Bay.

Mr Whelan emphasised that the section of pipeline before SCAP “at the moment is really the spine, the backbone of the system” that would work as a stand-alone, or as part of a larger system extended to Largs Bay at a later stage.

“We can take the opportunity to commence construction works around about April this year, subject to the necessary approvals,” Mr Whelan said.

Following hearings on January 31 and February 1 with 44 of the people who wrote submissions and with the project director, SCAP wrote to the department “seeking further clarification”.

The rapid response to those 15 matters of concern is contained within the SCAP meeting papers.

In response to community feedback, the state government has already scrapped plans to take extra sand from Grange to replenish West Beach, which is among the worst areas affected by coastal erosion.

SCAP member Paul Leadbeter asked whether the concerns of the residents at Semaphore were “equally relevant”.

But pipeline project director James Guy said the change was about “the proximity to residential dwellings”.

He said there were much wider dune systems further north at Largs so “you’re a lot further away from residential dwellings” than at Grange.