Newcastle submits Stockton CMP for certification

City of Newcastle, NSW, has delivered on a shortened deadline of 30 June and become just the second council in NSW to deliver a coastal management program (CMP) for certification to the State Government.

The Final Draft Stockton Coastal Management Program 2020 (Stockton CMP) was unanimously endorsed by the elected Council on Tuesday evening and will now be considered by the Minister for Local Government for review and certification assessment under the Coastal Management Act 2016.

The submission of the Stockton CMP to the State Government follows a successful public exhibition period. CN received a total of 175 submissions of which three quarters were supportive of the plan, an outstanding outcome for a public exhibition. All government agencies were also supportive of the CMP.

The plan determined a mass offshore marine sand nourishment campaign of 2.4 million cubic metres, followed by ongoing 10-year maintenance would provide the necessary protection for Stockton’s coastline. 

The Deputy Premier’s Taskforce and the State Government will explore all opportunities to source sand for mass offshore beach nourishment that is affordable and suitable.

The plan also outlined an initial sand nourishment program costing $4 million from land-based or other permissible sources, as well as essential work to address the imminent risk to community assets and private property including minimal extensions of the existing buried seawalls.