Funding boost for Middleton Beach sea wall

This is how Middleton Beach could look in the future.

Plans for a $9 million sea wall and other infrastructure were given a boost yesterday with a $4.8 million injection of funds by the Federal Government.

The sea wall is a key part of the Middleton Beach redevelopment and must be completed to allow a hotel and other buildings to be developed nearby.

O’Connor MP Rick Wilson said the project was crucial for securing developers for the proposed five to 12-storey hotel site nearby.

“Preceding any private investment, there is a strong requirement for significant improvement in the public realm as a key att-ractor for investors, together with coastal defences to pro-tect any investment made,” he said.

“This means that disparate developments would have occurred sporadically over a long period of time.

“This would have significantly reduced the efficiency of public investment.”

Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington said the funding was a welcome boost to the project, which was vital to protect the foreshore and any future infrastructure.

“We’re very grateful for the Federal Government’s investment in this project, which will support the existing work being done by LandCorp and the City of Albany to enhance the Middleton Beach precinct and attract a hotel development,” he said.

Lands Minister Rita Saffioti said last month five local, national and international “big-name brands” had expressed their interest as potential operators of the 80 to 140-room 12-storey hotel.

Expressions of interest to develop the hotel are open.