FRANKSTON Council is escalating its dispute with a Nepean Highway homeowner to stop him from illegally building a seawall on Frankston Beach.
The property owner came under fire earlier this year when it was revealed he was allegedly conducting illegal works on public land at the back of his property. Last week, the ABC reported that the property owner had ignored the stop-work order and continued to build the wall.
The Times understands that Frankston Council has resolved to send the resident a notice of demand. Councillors considered the matter during the confidential section of last week’s public meeting — the matter was designated confidential as “it relates to law enforcement information.”
After the 21 July meeting, Frankston Council issued a statement reading: “The matter relates to alleged unauthorised works along the Frankston Foreshore, including the erection of a private seawall on coastal Crown land, and significant vegetation removal.”
“Unauthorised works on coastal land can cause significant and sometimes irreversible harm to fragile ecosystems, increase erosion risks, damage native vegetation, impact coastal processes, hinder the use of the foreshore by the public and undermine the long-term resilience of the foreshore environment,” council said.
“Frankston City Council manages large sections of foreshore Crown land as a committee of management appointed by the Victorian Government. As a committee of management, council has responsibility for day-to-day management and maintenance, including investigating breaches and issuing notices where appropriate.”
Frankston mayor Kris Bolam said that council is exploring all options to address the issue. “The behaviour alleged in this matter is deeply disappointing and runs counter to the values of the Frankston City community,” he said.
“The safety, wellbeing and future of our foreshore is not negotiable. Council does not tolerate damage to our natural environment, and this kind of behaviour flies in the face of our community’s expectations,” Bolam said. “Therefore, council will actively work with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action to ensure a satisfactory outcome.”
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke said he “fully supports taking action regarding illegal structures built on our community’s precious beach.”
“No one is above the rules, especially when our coastline, public safety and environmental integrity are at stake,” he said.
Frankston Council’s interim CEO Cam Arullanantham said, “Council had a clear process in place to support responsible development and ensure the protection of Frankston City’s coastal environment.”
“Council has been working closely with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action to clarify the most appropriate path forward, and we continue to have constructive conversations until a suitable outcome can be reached,” he said.
“Our message to the community is simple: there are established processes for any works near the foreshore or on public land. These exist to protect the natural landscape and ensure safety.”
First published in the Frankston Times – 29 July 2025