ATTCH 2 - IR Response - Ecological and Bushfire IR Response (Cardno)

: WE17035                                                                    2
13 November 2017


     c) erosion evident from historical aerial photography is consistent with a maximum storm bite of 30m to
        40m, with there being no evidence of long term erosion caused by littoral drift;

     d) detailed numerical coastal erosion modelling presented in support of the Application, which takes into
        account future climate change effects, demonstrates that the Site lies outside of the erosion prone
        area as such the vegetation on the Site has does not play an active role in defending community
        assets against coastal erosion; and

     e) the proposed development will not have any adverse impacts on vegetation within those parts of the
        coastal dune system to the east of the Site that is located within an erosion prone area.

In respect of Council’s request for “an assessment of the on-going use and the impacts on the fore dunes
through increased access, whilst not burdening regulatory services to manage the area” the following points
are noted.

     a) The fore dunes to the east of the Site and David Low Way are traversed by a number of beach access
        tracks that are used by residents of the Site and adjacent residential estates to the west of David Low
        Way, including:

                 -     two beach access tracks leading from the two dwellings on the Site that have been used by
                       residents of, and visitors to, the Site for over 30 years; and

                 -     a formed beach access track, located approximately 300m to the south of the existing Site
                       entrance, which is likely to be the primary beach access for residents and visitors to the 100+
                       dwellings located to the immediate west of David Low Way.

     b) The existing tracks leading from the Site to the beach are stable and are subject to a low level of use
        in comparison to the beach access track to the south.

     c) Even if the existing tracks to the east of the Site were utilised by residents of and visitors to the
        additional four dwellings that are proposed, the level of use and associated potential for adverse
        impacts to the dune system would be substantially less than the level of use of the formed beach
        access to the south.

     d) To address Council’s concerns regarding the potential environmental impacts and/or management
        burdens associated with inappropriate forms of access to public land to the east of the Site by future
        residents of and visitors to the Site, it is proposed that:

                 -     a gate free fence would be established along the entire seaward boundary of proposed Lots
                       712 to 716 and along the seaward boundary of proposed Lot 711 up to the 50m Riparian
                       Buffer with the fencing to then extend along the southern boundary of the proposed Riparian
                       Buffer; and

                 -     a requirement to maintain the fence in its original gate free condition will be included within
                       the terms of the Statutory Environmental Covenants that are to be established over the areas
                       where the fencing is proposed.

     e) With these proposed access controls in place:

                 -     future residents of and visitors to the Site will still have a reasonable level of access to the
                       beach via the formed beach access track located 300m to the south; and

                 -     any reasonable concerns that Council may have regarding adverse outcomes associated with
                       increased levels of access to and use of the coastal dune system to the east of the Site have
                       been addressed .




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