NSW Public Works will take over the lead role in a project that will use sand from Newcastle Harbour to renourish Stockton Beach.
While announcing the development at Stockton on Monday, Deputy Premier Paul Toole also said that offshore dredging may not be needed to supply sand for the ongoing renourishment of the beach if sufficient sand can be sourced from the Hunter River.
The immediate priority of the sand renourishment project is to source 300,000 cubic metres of sand from the entrance to the harbour to provide short-term relief to the current shoreline recession.
The long-term focus is to secure 2.4 million cubic metres of sand needed for an initial mass nourishment, and annual sand top ups.
City of Newcastle has received $4.7million in Commonwealth funding, part of which will be used to fund investigations into potential harbour sand sources and amenity beach renourishment works.
Mr Toole said Public Works, which will take over the project from the Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation, would utilise its engineering and project management expertise to assist the council to deliver the works funded under the program.
"When you have a look at the expertise within Public Works, the engineering capacity, they will be able to actually support the city of Newcastle when it comes to looking at short term and long term sand nourishment in this area," he said.
Public Works' brief also involves managing the work needed to apply for any licences, permits or approvals.
Despite the widely held view that offshore dredging is the most appropriate method of long-term beach renourishment, Mr Toole said dredging may not be needed if an adequate supply of sand was located in the north arm of the Hunter River.
"I think we have to have a look about whether it's needed. The first part is looking around the north arm. We need to see what the studies come back with in relation to that," he said.
"If that (investigation) is successful, we may not need to look at a mining lease for dredging offshore. (the sand deposit in north arm)might be sufficient. I think that would be a good outcome."
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes welcomed the involvement of Public Works in the project.
"It's a good day; we are moving forward," she said.
"What the Deputy Premier has done today is unblock what was probably more of an internal bureaucratic issue within different agencies within the government. That is good political leadership."
The involvement of Public Works coincides with the development of an extended Coastal Management Plan for Stockton.
Cr Nelmes said the council was agnostic about where the sand to be used for renourishment was sourced from.
"If that is their (Public Works) opinion, that they may not need offshore dredging to get the sand Stockton needs, fantastic," she said.
"But at the end of the day, what we need is 2.4 million cubic metres. It could be difficult with the current information to get all of that from Area E (an area identified in the harbour for some of the 300,000 cubic metres) and also from the north of the river.
"However, we have already done a lot of the planning work regarding where the sand can be placed to protect the beach but also the amounts needed. So we are agnostic about where the sand comes from. We just want sand back on the beach."
Tensions between the council and the state government reached boiling point earlier this month when Mr Toole said the council was hindering the restoration process through its refusal to take responsibility for offshore sand renourishment.
A more conciliatory tone was adopted on Monday.
"What we all want to see here is a solution that is actually going to be achievable at the end of this. And that's what the community wants to see. I don't care about politics," he said.
"That's why I'm prepared to continue to work very closely with the Lord Mayor and the City of Newcastle and the federal member to get the outcome."
Stockton Community Liaison Group Chair Barbara Whitcher welcomed Mr Toole's announcement but stressed action, backed by funding, was urgently needed to save Stockton.
"There are several sources where the sand can come from. We want sand fast. It's not just a matter of the beach any longer, it's Stockton itself and the risk (of further erosion) up at North Stockton which could result in Stockton becoming an island.
"The forecast severe weather in the next few months sends shivers through the locals."
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