A new $10 million seawall proposed for North Cronulla includes an 80-metre section comprising concrete steps and seating, where people will be able to sit and enjoy a coffee while looking out over the beach and ocean.
Sutherland Shire Council is considering the solution following massive erosion over the last month.
It is the preferred option in the Bate Bay Coastal Management Program, which was prepared by a consultant in liaison with stakeholders and adopted by the council earlier this year.
Option 4, as it is known, includes a vertical concrete section commencing adjacent to Peryman Square, before transitioning to an 80-metre section of integrated bleachers (steps and seating areas) and access ramp, followed by a rock revetment seawall connecting to the Prince Street seawall.
The rock wall section is already in place, with 5000 tonne of boulders trucked in and positioned by earthmovers over the last two weeks.
"Option 4 provides a medium-high cost option for appropriate coastal protection works for Dunningham Park and the assets within, while providing notable access and amenity benefits," the program report said.
"Option 4 provides approximately 80 metres of integrated bleachers (steps and seating areas) and access ramp within the coastal protection works, providing significantly improved public access and amenity value to North Cronulla Beach.
"Construction of bleachers as an integral part of protection works is relatively common within greater Sydney and other highly visited coastal locations, enabling beach access under almost all conditions (subject to storm events), providing locations where people can sit and view the beach, and importantly, providing all-abilities access for beach users as well as vehicles if required.
"Option 4 also proposes that the majority of the rock revetment at Dunningham Park will be located in a similar position to the existing dunes, and as such is likely able to be buried in sand and vegetated for the majority of the time.
"When the rock revetment is covered in sand and vegetated as a dune, providing amenity and environmental benefit, public board and chain accessways (or similar) are able to be established and maintained, while retaining the fundamental purpose of the rock revetment as a last line of defence during a significant erosion event."
The report said the section of the vertical seawall adjacent to Peryman Square would be positioned further landward than the existing rock structure, however is still expected to be exposed in the same manner as the existing rock structure.
"A significant benefit of Option 4...is that a vertical concrete seawall requires a minimal 'footprint' of beach while providing protection from coastal hazards, utilising approximately 3-5 metres of width when constructed, compared to approximately 15-20m for a rock revetment.
"Having a smaller footprint provides an increased public beach area for use when the beach is eroded, while still preventing coastal erosion, and subsequent loss of assets.
"If this option is preferred, consideration will be required as to potential impact on coastal processes and surf amenity at the Alley (the permanent rip current located at the southern end of North Cronulla Beach), due to the change in location of the structure, although minimal (if any) adverse impact on surf amenity is expected."
Option 4 was costed at $8.3 million in 2021, but the figure is expected to climb to about $10 million by the time the project is completed.