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Buying in Palm Beach: Coastal Erosion Risks to Check Before You Purchase

Buying in Palm Beach NSW? Learn what coastal erosion risks to check before purchasing, renovating or building near the beach.

TL;DR Buying in Palm Beach can be a strong lifestyle and property decision, but coastal risk needs to be checked before you purchase. The main risks to consider are coastal erosion, storm damage, shoreline recession, flood risk, dune instability, access constraints, planning controls, insurance issues and future building limitations. Before buying, review the planning certificate, council hazard mapping, flood information, coastal planning controls, building condition, drainage, retaining walls, seawalls and whether future renovations or rebuilds may be restricted. The key point: do not only assess the house. Assess the land, coastal setting and future development risk. Introduction Palm Beach is one of Sydney’s most desirable coastal suburbs. It offers ocean beaches, Pittwater views, luxu…