Controversial coastal plan deferred after opposition from homeowners

Homeowners have shared their fears for the future of their seaside properties as a controversial new coastal plan risks raising insurance premiums and jeopardising house sales.

A controversial new coastal plan has faced stiff opposition in the Shoalhaven City Council, with one homeowner telling councillors a house sale had been cancelled out of fear of the new guidelines.

The draft plan seeks to define properties which are at risk of coastal erosion, but according to homeowners, instead arbitrarily draws a line through seaside suburbs, including properties away from the shore.

Roger Stanton represented the Callala Foreshore Alliance at the council’s ordinary session on April 11, and told councillors that many residents in the coastal enclave were fearful of the plan.

“How can an arbitrary blanketing of an entire property in bright orange have any positive effect?” Mr Stanton asked the councillors.

“Property owners are aware of the risks to their property and these are identified clearly by the coastal hazard lines already in use on these properties.

“We already have evidence of owners having insurance withdrawn, premiums increased, and a property sale cancelled as a result of the uncertainty created by this proposal.”

Mr Stanton asked why the council would depart from the existing hazard lines for what he called an “inflammatory blanketing” of the whole property as hazardous, when there was no scientific evidence to support such an assertion.

The Alliance, which is made up of local results new and old, was formed in light of issues residents face from coastal erosion, Mr Stanton said, and had sought to engage policymakers.

“We want to work cooperatively with council to ensure the coast remains the pristine environment that we all love,” Mr Stanton said.

Callala Beach at Jervis Bay. Picture: Supplied

“We have followed the process laid down by council through calls, submissions, and emails. However, council seems to have no inclination to enter into any reasonable discussion as indicated by the ‘no change’ notes edit on every submission in this report.

“Good, effective consultation is a process of collaborative engagement, not an excuse for council to simply knock back the legitimate concerns of residents who collectively are extremely well versed in the issues at hand.”

According to council documents, the new planning proposal, also known as PP, resulted from ongoing work to identify public and private properties along the coast in Shoalhaven that are at risk from coastal hazards.

Earlier versions of the plan dating back to 2018 faced revisions due to pushback from the Department of Planning and Environment. The latest version, titled PP026, was placed on public exhibition in January.

It received 45 submissions in total, 42 from individual landowners, one from the Alliance, and 3 more relating to areas in Mollymook and separate new guidelines proposed for Culburra.

As result of the exhibition, some terminology was changed, including the replacement of “Beach Erosion Zone” with “Coastal Risk Planning Area”.

Erosion at Long Beach near Batemans Bay after a week of storm events. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

Mr Stanton acknowledged that while the alteration was progress, he stilled believed no change was needed to the current definitions.

“The Alliance strongly rejects the need for any change, and we welcome the opportunity for further discussion on the terminology and even the colour choice, which could be switched to a less inflammatory colour, such as blue or gold,” he said.

“A more reasonable option, as we have already suggested in our submissions is to amend the proposed designation for the entirety of each impact site as hazardous to a more accurate, less inflammatory approach that simply add a note to the first diagram that identifies the affected properties as subject to foreshore building controls.

“A further consideration that has been ignored by council is that the risk factors are quite different in Jervis Bay compared to open ocean beaches.

“Despite two major storm events in close succession to recent major storm events in close succession, the dunes at Callala have performed well when compared to ocean beaches such as Collaroy where a healthy dune system no longer exists.”

Flooding in St Georges Basin, Jervis Bay. March 8 2022. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

Mr Stanton said the Alliance would prefer to engage in meaningful discussion with council, but had sought legal advice.

“We will avail of legal advice as is our rights under law to help protect our homes,” he said.

Later in the session, Councillor Paul Ell moved to defer the motion to the next meeting of the council given the concern that had been identified in the deputation, and more broadly in the community.

“There is a lack of understanding about this mapping and the colour coding, as well as the data and the science that underlies it,” he said.

Councillor Patricia White questioned what the desired outcome of the deferral was.

“Can you explain exactly what we‘re deferring it for? Are we deferring it for a briefing? Or are we deferring it to go back to the residents? Can we define exactly what we’re doing?” she asked.

Mayor Amanda Finley responded: “Councillor Ell wanted that extra time for the community to digest that information.”

The deferral passed without objection.

The next council meeting will be held on April 26.