A FRANKSTON homeowner has told media he will sell his property and move after public backlash to construction work he had undertaken by Frankston Beach.
A stop work order was issued last week to the property owner, who has allegedly been conducting illegal construction work. Observers had spotted vegetation removal and construction work taking place behind 636 Nepean Highway.
Last Monday, 2 March, Frankston Council confirmed that it had contacted the landowner to demand a stop to works on Crown land. Frankston Council CEO Phil Cantillon said “since becoming aware of the activities two weeks ago, council has been working closely with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, while conducting multiple site visits and issuing formal notices to the landowner, demanding works cease immediately.”
“Following those directions, council today issued a planning enforcement letter and building order to stop work to the landowner. Council has no record of what vegetation has been removed or what is being constructed, however it is now apparent a significant area of vegetation has been cleared and a seawall (and potential retaining walls) are being erected,” Cantillon said. “Works in sensitive coastal environments must be informed by rigorous studies to ensure they do not negatively impact coastal processes, marine ecosystems, or public safety.
“All works and structures undertaken on coastal and marine public (Crown) land require consent from the state government, as well as planning and building permits where required. If the stop work order is breached, council will be forced to consider further action which may include prosecution.”
After the stop work order was issued the property owner told the ABC he would remove the construction, and that he planned to sell the house.
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke has slammed the property owner. He said he had been contacted more than 50 times “regarding large scale vegetation removal and earthworks on part of Frankston Beach, allegedly with no permissions or permits.”
“Approximately 700m2 of native foreshore vegetation had been cleared across the whole front of a property, potentially destabilising the cliff face. A massive amount of concreting work appears to be taking place on Crown land in the middle of the beach in a public conservation zone with no safety fencing protecting the public from the construction,” Edbrooke said.
“I am shocked and angered that this sort of work is being undertaken without any consideration of the laws to protect our wonderful beaches and environment – it shows no respect for our community, or the environmental impacts like erosion, sand shifting, loss of native animal habitat, and possible destruction of a reported sensitive Aboriginal heritage site in the area.
“Strict laws are in place to stop people building their own private marinas or boat ramps, protecting our Frankston economy from the potentially catastrophic effects of illegal unplanned building on our largest tourist attraction, the Frankston foreshore.”
First published in the Frankston Times – 11 March 2025