FORMER Cottesloe Council consultant Garry Baverstock says recent erosion shows a planned foreshore revamp must include how climate change’s sea rise and any new seawalls will wash away the Town’s beach.
“Cottesloe lost up to 4m of dunes last year, by the next super tide season in 12 years another 6m would have gone, and this most recent erosion is just the start this year if a storm and spring tides combine in August,” Mr Baverstock said.
Multiple new cracks caused the council to barricade the cracked slipway and steps at the Indiana restaurant after four days of storms and high swells washed away the beach and exposed rock last week.
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READ NOWMr Baverstock’s 2004 and 2008 reports for the council said it should plan for a 65cm NASA-predicted sea rise by 2100, but the State Government now demands planners include a 0.9m increase over 100 years.
However, Mr Baverstock said the warnings have not be heeded in council planning for a masterplan to revamp the foreshore, or by residents.
“Cottesloe needs to create a soft foreshore with a 30m encroachment area for sea rise ingress, to dissipate the waves’ energy instead of them bouncing off walls, but this latest damage says it should be 50m,” he said.
Iron Ore magnate Andrew Forrest is leasing the Indiana from the council and a spokeswoman for his Minderoo Group said due diligence indicated no “imminent concern” about the building being undermined, but more assessments would be made.
The council’s masterplan includes a potential public plaza now defended by an old seawall and grass terraces.