Ongoing sand nourishment is the most "cost effective and efficient" solution to address beach erosion at Stockton, Newcastle council says an analysis has found.
The outcomes of the analysis of potential solutions, which considered performance, environmental and social factors and included a cost benefit analysis, were presented to the Stockton Community Liaison Group this week. In a press release afterwards, the council said its investigations had concluded that following an initial mass sand nourishment effort, regular top ups would be "more cost effective and efficient than structures like an artificial headland".
"Four feasible coastal management options including an artificial reef, an artificial headland, sand back passing, and maintenance sand nourishment were assessed, and mass sand nourishment supported by annual ... top ups is considered the best solution," lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
"The evaluation appraisal included both economic and non-economic factors to determine which scheme would best support our vision to provide an erosion buffer to Stockton, return recreational beach amenity and the sense of identity that the beach provides."
The council said it could not provide a copy of the report as it was with the state government. It is working with state agencies that own land in north Stockton to ensure the proposed solution meets their needs.
"Support from affected agency landholders is critical to the successful implementation of the preferred solution as well as a mandatory requirement of the Coastal Management Act 2016," Cr Nelmes said.
Consultants also presented the Community Liaison Group the results of a Coastal Inundation Report, which identifies and maps the present and future coastal inundation hazard at Stockton from tides, surge and dynamic, wave-driven water levels that lead to over wash and overtopping of coastal barriers.
The mass sand-nourishment strategy was outlined in the Stockton Coastal Management Program 2020.
The council's next step is to progress discussions about funding the coastal management scheme with the NSW government.
The Stockton Beach Taskforce will provide advice and recommendations on issues including sand sourcing and to seek priority capital and operational funding.
The council has also formed a Newcastle Coastal Management Working Group, which will consider coastal management of the entire 14 kilometres of coastline in the Newcastle local government area, as well as the Hunter Estuary, as Coastal Management Programs for these areas are developed in 2022-23.
