Lifeline for Scarborough dunes, businesses

Scarborough’s sand dunes have gotten an 11^th hour reprieve after the state government honoured an election commitment to rework planned road extensions, while businesses disrupted by a $75 million redevelopment program along the beachfront have been given a lifeline.

Planning Minister Rita Saffioti said $5.2 million would be saved from scrapping the road project, which would have comprised north and south extensions of The Esplanade through man made dunes in the area.

The funds will be reallocated towards improving traffic flow along West Coast Highway and entry and exit points of Scarborough Beach.

There had been considerable community opposition to the road extension, coordinated by action group Beach not Bitumen, largely because the land had been earmarked as a Bush Forever site.

Ms Saffioti said the state government would work closely with the relevant agencies to develop an integrated traffic solution for Scarborough Beach.

“There needs to be considerable planning into more appropriate solutions and I have asked the MRA to work with relevant stakeholders to explore ways to enhance the existing local traffic network,” Ms Saffioti said.

Meanwhile, Ms Saffioti said businesses that had experienced significantly lower foot traffic as a result of ongoing construction work at Scarborough Beach would be eligible for a one-off relief payment.

At least one café has been forced to shut its doors at Scarborough, after its patronage plunged during the construction process.

The payments would be capped at 50 per cent of applicable land taxes for the year, Ms Saffioti said.

“While I accept there is some disruption that comes with construction, and that many efforts have been made to mitigate the impacts of those works, we do not want to be a Government that ignores the situation,” she said.

“We inherited a process that had no mechanism in place to support local businesses and we had to develop this process from scratch - the previous minister failed to address this issue. 

“We have acted as quickly as possible to introduce an equitable form of support for traders at the Scarborough foreshore and look forward to seeing them prosper in the revitalised precinct.”