VICROADS is fixing hundreds of cracks in the retaining wall at the northern end of the Marine Drive underpass at Safety Beach.
The wall and underpass were built and paid for by the developer of the Martha Cove marina and housing development before being handed over to VicRoads and the Martha Cove owners’ corporation.
VicRoads says sealing the cracks will “minimise the risk of corrosion of steel in the walls”.
The owners’ corporation says a “cathodic protection system designed to check condition and ensure corrosion of concrete reinforcing steel is minimised” will be installed in the underpass.
Mornington-based Watsons, described as a one-stop planning shop, says it acted in the “superintendent’s role” in the design and construction of the underpass.
The company’s director, John Woodman, featured prominently in the first week of hearings by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) into alleged crooked land deals within the City of Casey.
Mr Woodman told the hearing he had negotiated at Martha Cove with an Aboriginal group whose members were “more keen to bolster their bank balance than they were in finding artefacts”.
Mr Woodman unsuccessfully stood for Mornington Peninsula Shire Council in 2012 and 2016.
The IBAC hearings – which have so far centred around developments involving Mr Woodman within Casey and donations and payments to councillors and state MPs – are set to continue for a further two weeks.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 26 November 2019
