The 2025-26 Business Plan (Budget) for Holdfast Bay was approved at the Council Meeting on 22 July.

Apart from co-funding further upgrades to the Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club the Plan does not include any projects in Seacliff and Kingston Park due to the funding obligations for the Transforming Jetty Road project.

In our Business Plan Submission 5049 Coastal Community listed a number of projects in Seacliff and Kingston Park that we would like to see progressed in the longer term for the benefit of the local community. This includes Stage 2 of the Seacliff Plaza which would include better beach access and beautification of the Plaza, Esplanade and Wheatland St roundabout as per Council’s Draft Masterplan.

Other projects which your committee supports are the installation of fairy lights on the four large palm trees at Seacliff Plaza, Indigenous artwork on the Singleton Bridge in Kingston Park and, in the much longer term, the re-imaging of Brighton Road/Village.

We have encouraged Council to attempt to secure government funding for these projects in the lead up to the 2026 State election.

Alternatively, or in addition, Council could include one or more of these projects in the 2026-27 Business Plan as “additional community projects.”

Construction of the Seacliff Amenities Block has been completed and was opened to the public in early November 2024. It is the first stage in the redevelopment of Seacliff Plaza and replaces the old, unsightly toilet block at the same location.

The new amenities building is located on the same level as the footpath and includes:

• 5 unisex toilets
• 1 disability toilet and shower
• Outdoor public shower area and handwashing station
• New beach access ramps for pedestrians and surf club vehicles
• Upgrade of the immediate area with continuous widened footpaths to improve access to the amenities area

The concept design for the Amenities Block  has been approved and consultation is completed. Administration is currently working on programming and working through the detailed design with Aspect Studios. The project is past the procurement stage and Administration are working to keep the project moving with contractors engaged to continue with necessary approvals. Construction is currently planned through winter 2023 with completion by the third quarter. If required, demolition of existing amenities block may be brought forward. The length of project is 4-4.5 month for construct.

 

Councils independent Development Assessment Panel (CAP) endorsed the updated plans for the Seacliff Building Amenities and Beach Access development. The original plan was refused by the CAP 24 August. The new plans have retained all the original amenities except the lockers, which have been removed.  Other key changes are the 6 m² reduction in the scale of the building and increasing transparency of the change area external façade to address safety concerns raised by the CAP. While the projects design is behind schedule the construction is still planned to be undertaken in the low season of 2023.

The Seacliff Plaza project’s development application was heard by Council’s Assessment Panel on 24 August 2022 which resulted in the development application being refused.  The project is now reviewing the next steps and will provide an update thereafter.