Yacht club cites beach safety concerns

the public for recreational activities, and was also often used to launch dinghies, canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. National and regional competitions were also held in the area.

The club asked the council to construct a barrier to keep beach users safe from its launching ramp, and to separate the club from the reserve. It also wanted access lanes for craft going into the water and asked that some of the proposed raised plantings be more than 2.5 metres apart, as was proposed, so crafts could continue to access the water.

The club was the submitter.

Shelly Beach, a man-made reserve, was built in 1968 by reclaiming land to form a beach and flat grass area. A report from the council’s August assets and services information package said discussions would be held to see if concerns could be resolved only without a hearing. It followed the club’s submission to the council’s annual plan in June, which said it was working with the council to upgrade Shelly Beach by increasing the grassed area.

It also planned to put down a more ‘‘intuitive’’ traffic turnaround area, increase car parks, redesign current parks and install a traffic island.

The council noted the club had been invited to engage with the Victoria Domain Management Plan review process to ensure proposed redevelopments of the beach were properly considered.

Construction of a $1.3 million clubhouse started last year, built slightly southwest of the existing site, and opening up access to Shelley Beach.

Gardiner said the building would be completed by mid-2020, with the club operating out of it from February in line with a national tournament.