- McGowan Labor Government scraps proposed roads encroaching on Scarborough Beach
- Minister for Planning protects Bush Forever areas from development
- Funding to be reinvested towards alternative traffic improvements for Scarborough
Plans to build road extensions along the Scarborough beachfront are being scrapped by the McGowan Labor Government.
The decision is in line with a commitment made before the election, following widespread community concern about the planned roads encroaching on the environmentally sensitive dunes at Scarborough Beach.
Extensions of The Esplanade, north and south of the existing road, were proposed as part of the Scarborough foreshore redevelopment.
While the road extensions would provide additional entry and exit points into and out of Scarborough Beach, they would have detrimental impacts on the existing dune system.
The State Government will now work with its agencies towards a more integrated approach to people and traffic movement in the Scarborough area.
In the meantime, most of the $5.2 million saved on the road extensions will be reallocated to improving traffic flow along West Coast Highway and entry and exit points of Scarborough Beach.
The savings will also contribute to supplementing public car parking along the beachfront.
Comments attributed to Planning Minister Rita Saffioti:
"This has been a longstanding issue that I wanted to resolve.
"I have been briefed by the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority on the Scarborough Master Plan, in particular the history and intent of the proposed road extensions and the community support for and against this solution.
"The road extensions are not the answer.
"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."
Minister's office - 6552 5500
