Same site proposed for new surf club

Gosford Council officers have recommended the demolition of the existing Killcare Surf Club, and its reconstruction on the same site in Beach Dr, Killcare.

Council's development assessment staff stated in a recent report that "realistic and affordable opportunities for redevelopment of the Killcare Surf Club are limited" and that "essentially duplicating the existing building envelope is the best option".

"Any alternative locations would involve delays and substantial additional costs," the staff stated.

Council officers suggested that from an economic perspective the proposal was "the only option" available to council to allow replacement of the existing Surf Club within the near future.

In discussing the stability of the site, council officers stated that the engineering design, together with the conditions of consent, were aimed at minimising damage in the event of a storm.

Officers noted that the Killcare site "appears to be sited above a rock shelf and less prone to storm erosion".

"A critical storm event that may remove the volume of sand and other improvements around the surf club from the beach such that substantial regeneration works were required may not occur in the lifetime of the new building," officers stated.

"If the existing surf club became unusable and Killcare Beach were to be left without a surf club facility due to re-development of the facility becoming uneconomical or not being carried out because of the recommendations contained in the Coastal Management Plan, the issue of beach safety for beachgoers will arise.

"The probability of an event such as a drowning to occur due to the removal of the existing facility would very likely be far higher than the occurrence of the relevant storm event (this is an opinion only as there are no statistics or other evidence to support this contention)."

Council agenda ENV.59, 7 Aug 2007