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INNOVATIVE DESIGN: An artist's impression of how the new Whyalla jetty will look.
The City of Whyalla is just one approval step away from construction starting on the new jetty.
The jetty’s plans, chosen builder and material orders have been in place for more than six months while the project has gone through a rigorous series of administration and approval processes, necessary for a project of this significance, to gain approval.
Some of these include multiple approvals required from the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI).
To ensure the jetty meets all legislative requirements it requires approval for the plans, approval for construction methods, environmental approval, native title considerations, approval to extend the jetty 25 metres into State waters and approval for the demolition of the existing structure which could not obtained until construction of the new jetty was approved.
The planning has required three independent engineering consultants to oversee every step of the process. Every alteration, deemed necessary by one engineer, requires approval by the other engineers before plans could be changed.
Council CEO Chris Cowley said he understood the community’s frustration at the length of time these approvals have taken but they were vitally important, and non-negotiable, steps in this generational project considering the jetty is being built with ratepayer’s money and a $1m grant from the State Government.
“Council is part of the Whyalla community and we, perhaps more than anyone else, are anxious and impatient to get this jetty started,” Mr Cowley said.
“The former Council, this new Council and many new senior Council staff members inherited a situation where the old jetty was suddenly deemed to be unsafe requiring an urgent project to replace it.
“This has resulted in two years of important public consultation, planning, design and a mountain of approval processes to get to the point we are now.
“All this time we have been acutely aware of the community’s desire to get this job done, and we share this impatience, but this job needs to be done properly so it is right for the next 80 years.”
MATERIALS HERE: Council's Director Infrastructure Kristen Clark and CEO Chris Cowley with the pylons for the jetty that were delivered to Whyalla in April.
The final approval is imminent from DPTI to demolish the old jetty. Demolition cannot, however, be done before the construction starts on the new jetty to save costs by having a barge come from Adelaide just once for both procedures.
Whyalla Mayor Clare McLaughlin said the new elected members were just as anxious as the community to get this project started but understood the monumental task Council officers were given with this project.
“Building a new jetty is an enormous and complicated task for any organisation, local Council or even government department,” Mayor McLaughlin said.
“From putting the design out to public consultation to keeping this project in-house, to ensure as much local labour and materials are used, Council officers have done a remarkable job to get to this point."
Mr Cowley said the process had not been immune to hiccups along the way and the importance of local government procedural practices had been reinforced to Council with this project.
“If nothing else, it has highlighted the fact Council must be super vigilant in assessing all our assets to make sure we put plans in place to replace or repair significant structures and assets before they reach the end of their safe, operational life,” Mr Cowley said.
With the jetty project commencement still dependant on a final demolition approval from DPTI, Mr Cowley said he was reluctant to put any more timelines in place. However, if approvals are received from DPTI this week, there should be on-ground works commencing in August.
“We have kept the community informed of every step in this jetty building process including estimates on when work would commence and when the jetty would be finished,” he said.
“Timelines were set in good faith and optimistically because we want this jetty started as soon as possible too.
“We apologise for not meeting some of these deadlines, but I can say that we keep clearing the hurdles and can see the finish line in what will be an iconic asset for our community.”