Shire of Murray

The rezoning of land at Port Bouvard’s Point Grey Marina providing homes to some 6,500 residents has received the green light from the Minister of Planning with the Outline Development Plan recently approved by the WA Planning Commission with some minor changes.
 
The proposal incorporating a marina, associated entrance and navigation channel is also the focus of a Public Environmental Review by the Environmental Protection Authority with submissions currently being considered.
 
Shire President Noel Nancarrow said whilst Council supports the development in-principle and believes Point Grey Marina would be an attraction for the district, it still requires the necessary development approvals and environmental licences.
 
“Council acknowledges that the associated entry and navigation channels and the ongoing cost of maintenance have been cause for concern within some sections of the community.  The Shire wishes to provide reassurance that these matters are being closely scrutinised.”  
 
“The financial responsibility for maintenance will be the subject of a legal agreement and Council will only consider the proposal following an in depth analysis of its viability including adequate funding arrangements and a written agreement from the Marina owners to take full responsibility for dredging of the channel and marina,”  Cr Nancarrow said.
 
The Council has required the developer to maintain the Marina under private ownership along with all maintenance responsibilities. 
 
Advice from the developer suggests the anticipated maintenance dredging volume is in the order of 50,000 cubic metres, with the proposed disposal methodology to be in keeping with the Department of Transport’s Peel-Harvey Dredging Strategy, which recommends within-estuary disposal as the preferred disposal method.
 
“We continue to work closely with the developer Port Bouvard and following an extensive computer modelling exercise undertaken one of world’s leading environmental modelling consultancies, we have been assured that maintenance dredging is estimated to be required every five to ten years, ,” he said .
 
Cr Nancarrow said the developers had also provided assurances to the Council and the Environmental Protection Authority of WA that rigorous pre-dredging sediment testing would occur prior to the commencement of maintenance dredging.
 
“The developer’s documentation to the EPA states the risk of Acid Sulphate Soils (ASS) forming within the Channel is considered to be low and the results of investigations undertaken within the Department of Transport’s Peel-Harvey Dredging Strategy on similar channels in the Harvey Estuary and Peel Inlet show that ASS has not formed.”
 
“However, in the event that Acid Sulphate Soils is identified within the Channel, Port Bouvard has advised they would be removed and treated onshore.”