But the Government is pushing ahead with work during southern right whale breeding season, despite calls for construction to stop between May and November.The State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) will on Wednesday assess plans for the new $31m causeway.The department plans to build the new causeway parallel to the existing one, retaining sections of the 1864-built structure at either end to be used as lookouts and for fishing.During consultation, the SCAP received 92 submissions, including dozens of people calling for greater protection for whales, including stopping works between May and November.The department had originally flagged creating a 300m exclusion zone around the work site, ceasing noisy pile driving works if whales entered. But that area has been enlarged after the federal Environment Department said a 1km zone was needed. It also said spotters must monitor a 1.25km area for whales and Australian sea lions, to prepare for works to stop if the animals approach.In its submission, Save the Victor Harbor Causeway Group said the project posed “a significant threat to our town’s primary winter tourism draw card”. “Our well known “winter tourism lull” could be made even worse if the construction of this new concrete and steel road bridge does negatively impact the whale migration,” the group said.Heritage SA raised worries about losing the causeway’s heritage, recommending further investigations into fixing the existing, severely degraded structure.In a report to the panel, planning officer Janine Philbey said only 12.5 per cent of the original structure remained, and was generally at the causeway’s ends, which would be retained and upgraded.Ms Philbey’s report said the department’s environmental assessment showed there was a “low to negligible risk” of whales not returning to the area because of the works.She said concerns about the whales could be managed through measures the federal Environment Department had set out.“While the proposal is finely balanced, the new causeway is expected to provide equitable and safe access through well designed infrastructure while appropriately honouring the modified and retained state heritage items,” she said.Business Victor Harbor chairman Michael Schubert said the project would create “significant additional economic activity” for the region “in a time when every single dollar of infrastructure development is vital for our future”.The panel will decide whether to recommend Planning Minister Vickie Chapman approves the project after meeting in Victor Harbor on Wednesday. The Transport Department said a start date for the work would be confirmed once planning approval was received.
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