Business case development and cost-benefit analysis
Management of the NSW coastline is undergoing significant change, driven by a desire to achieve balanced and sustainable outcomes in the use of land and natural resources. These changing characteristics provide significant opportunities for economic growth, employment, tourism and recreation, including the ability to maximise the value of maritime assets. The opportunities are dependent on the ability of recreational and commercial vessels to safely access river entrances and coastal infrastructure.
The accumulation of sand in river entrances, creating difficult and dangerous navigation hazards is a major constraint preventing the success of these opportunities.
Nation Partners prepared a business case to help inform decisions for an integrated dredging and beach nourishment program across the length of the NSW coastal network.
Outcomes + benefit delivered
Cost-benefit model to inform key decision making
The business case prepared by our team established the scope of a program involving a suite of projects, delivered systematically, to remove accumulated sand from river entrances and to make beneficial use of the resource for beach nourishment in coastal erosion hotspots.
A cost-benefit model was also developed as part of the business case, to assess the impacts and benefits of the proposed program with regards to commercial, tourism and recreational activities.
Due to the dynamic nature of coastal processes, the business case identified needs for prioritisation of individual dredging locations, procurement flexibility and ongoing review to support decision-making and benefits realisation.