‘Environmental vandalism’: Alarms raised over ‘unauthorised’ construction of iconic beach

The local council has stepped in after “unauthorised” construction began on one of Australia’s most iconic beaches, tearing up native vegetation in the process.

A Melbourne council has ordered an immediate stop work on illegal construction at a major beach, that has seen vegetation ripped out and an unauthorised sea wall being built.

Hundreds of metres of native vegetation have been removed from Frankston Beach and building work started, leaving the council stumped.

On February 28, Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke shared a video on social media of construction along the sea wall of Frankston Beach, south of Olivers Hill.

More than 50 residents contacted the MP’s office about the construction, which first began in January.

Locals are confused after reportedly unauthorised construction began at Frankston Beach. Picture: Facebook

The council has launched an investigation into the construction. Picture: Facebook

Since the first reports of construction in the area, about 700sq m of native foreshore vegetation has been cleared amid “extensive” earthworks “encroaching on Crown land”.

According to the Mr Edbrooke, the construction site had “allegedly no permits, permissions or engineering certificates”.

After visiting the site on Saturday, he discovered “workers were still laying form work for concreting on the beach”, though there are “no engineering plans” to determine what the exact works are.

“There are no plans, so we don’t know what is proposed,” he told NewsWire.

An investigation has been launched by Frankston City Council, Mr Edbrooke confirmed, calling the construction site “unacceptable”.

Construction workers were back on site on Monday morning despite calls for the works to stop during the investigation.

“Upon arriving at the site this morning, concrete pouring had commenced,” Mr Edbrooke told NewsWire.

“This is a case of environmental vandalism of our beach and I will always fight to ensure our beach and foreshore is protected and rehabilitated.”

Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke said the construction was ‘unacceptable’. Picture: Facebook

Frankston City Council on Monday said it had issued an order to stop the work.

“Since becoming aware of the activities two weeks ago, council has been working closely with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, while conducting multiple site visits and issuing formal notices to the landowner, demanding works cease immediately,” Council chief executive Phil Cantillon said.

“Following those directions, council today issued a Planning Enforcement Letter and Building Order to Stop Work to the landowner.

“Council has no record of what vegetation has been removed or what is being constructed, however it is now apparent a significant area of vegetation has been cleared and a seawall (and potential retaining walls) are being erected.”

Mr Cantillo said all works and structures undertaken on coastal and marine Crown land needed consent from the state government, as well as planning and building permits where required.

He warned the council may prosecute if the stop work order was ignored.

“If the stop work order is breached, council will be forced to consider further action which may include prosecution,” he said.

He said work in sensitive coastal environments needed to be informed by rigorous studies to ensure they do not negatively impact coastal processes, marine ecosystems, or public safety.