THE problems facing Stockton Beach and locals are not new.

“The collaboration between City of Newcastle staff, the Stockton Community Liaison Group, agency stakeholders and the NSW Government was essential during the preparation of the original Coastal Management Plan (CMP),” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

“Any proposed management options for the Stockton CMP 2021 should complement the current goal of mass sand nourishment and be assessed in terms of their economic and technical feasibility.”

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The adopted strategy of mass sand nourishment in the Stockton CMP 2020 will be incorporated into the Stockton CMP 2021.

Consideration of all potential management options is a crucial component of the feasibility assessment stage of the CMP development process as mandated by the Coastal Management Act 2016.

City of Newcastle has already begun implementing the 2020 CMP, including kyowa rock bags as a temporary protection structure at the Barrie Crescent section of Stockton Beach.

Earlier this month, Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced the NSW Government had approved an exploration licence to identify suitable offshore sand for renourishment.

The work off the coast of Newcastle is set to occur in the coming weeks as part of a long-term plan to permit offshore dredging to secure sand for Stockton Beach.

Newcastle Council is working on developing their coastal management programs and programs to help to shape future plans to enhance the coast including the management of Stockton Beach.

Newcastle City Council has launched The Love Our Coast survey, which will collect a range of information including what beaches people visit and how frequently, what they do while they are there and why they choose the beaches they do.

It will also investigate how people get to the beach and how much money they spend during their trips.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the survey is key to identifying priorities and plans for the coastline moving forward.

“The responses from this survey will help us develop plans and projects to enhance our coast for future generations, like our coastal management programs, that include long-term actions to help ensure we can manage these important areas,” the Lord Mayor said.

Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen encouraged people to take part in the survey and said, “Feedback from the community is very important to allow the City to understand how we value and use our beaches.

“We don’t only want to hear from the city’s beach lovers.

“It is open to everyone and the more feedback we get, the better informed our decisions will be moving forward.

“The insight provided by the survey will also ensure our coastal management programs satisfy requirements legislated by the Coastal Management Act 2016,” he said.

The survey will be open for feedback until Friday 5 March and takes around 10 minutes to complete.

Newcastle City Council manages a coastline which covers 14 kilometres and includes: Northern Stockton Beach, Southern Stockton Beach, Nobbys Beach, Newcastle Beach, Susan Gilmore Beach, Bar Beach, Dixon Park Beach, Merewether Beach and Burwood Beach.

By Marian SAMPSON