The council has warned if the stop-work order is breached it will be forced to consider legal action.
Share and Follow

A multimillionaire homeowner who attracted criticism for constructing a large retaining wall on a Melbourne foreshore without a permit is considering selling his beachfront property.

Gene Neill was issued a stop-work order from council for a seawall in front of his property along Frankston South foreshore.

Neill bought the seaside mansion in December last year, and by February he’d already begun building the wall, without the council’s approval.

The council has warned if the stop-work order is breached it will be forced to consider legal action.
The council has warned if the stop-work order is breached it will be forced to consider legal action. (Nine)

He said he was concerned about the safety of his home and was being refused insurance after two recent landslides on the peninsula.

“If you have a look here, as you can see it’s quite a serious landslide, and as you see what’s happened in McCrae, somebody’s lost their house,” Neill told 9News.

Neill claims he decided to go ahead with the construction because other properties along the foreshore also had unapproved retaining walls.

Neill claims he decided to go ahead with the construction because other properties along the foreshore also had unapproved retaining walls.
Neill claims he decided to go ahead with the construction because other properties along the foreshore also had unapproved retaining walls. (Nine)

“We’re pretty much the only house here without a seawall. Everyone else here has got protection, besides us,” he said.

“But we’ve gone way beyond what anyone else has done here.

”My understanding is you can’t get a permit so it’s a matter of, I just have to do it, we have to protect our home and that’s what we’re doing.”

Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke says his office has had more than 50 complaints since Friday, with locals concerned about the amount of vegetation being removed from the beach.
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke says his office has had more than 50 complaints since Friday, with locals concerned about the amount of vegetation being removed from the beach. (Nine)

But Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke says his office has had more than 50 complaints since Friday, with locals concerned about the amount of vegetation being removed from the beach.

“We will not stand for this. People cannot just move into our area and in three months, destroy some of the most beautiful habitat in Frankston,” Edbrooke said.

“My biggest concern is the lack of any accountability from people that move into Frankston three months beforehand, and within three months we see 700 sqm of protected foreshore scrub gone.”

Officers from Frankston City Council have visited the site and officially ordered works to halt as the council investigates.

Gene Neill was issued a stop-work order from council for a seawall in front of his property along Frankston South foreshore.
Gene Neill was issued a stop-work order from council for a seawall in front of his property along Frankston South foreshore. (Nine)

The council has warned if the stop-work order is breached it will be forced to consider legal action.

But Neill says he is now considering moving on from the multimillion-dollar property completely.

“I’m prepared to rip it all up and let nature do it’s thing and have more landslides until it reaches the house,” Neill said.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Debris balls have washed up on several NSW beaches again, but authorities are unsure whether they are related to the ones that were previously found along dozens of Sydney beaches.

Significant Investment Allocated to Prevent Debris Accumulation on Sydney’s Beaches

Sydney’s wastewater system will be upgraded under a $3 billion plan following…
sass & bide is an Australian womens fashion company.

Renowned Australian Designer Brand Set to Cease Operations in Coming Weeks

Cult Australian designer clothing brand Sass & Bide has announced it will…
Ioannis Vidiniotis, 28, was swimming with his loved ones at Cottlesoe Beach in Perth - the city's postcard location - on New Year's Eve when he struck his head on a sandback.

Heartbreaking NYE Incident at Iconic Aussie Beach Leaves Tourist Facing Life-Altering Consequences

A Greek tourist visiting his family in Australia for the holidays may…
Sydney Airport chaos: Dozens of flights cancelled and delayed in worst disruption to air travel since Covid

Sydney Airport Experiences Major Disruptions: Numerous Flights Cancelled and Delayed in Most Significant Air Travel Disruption Since Covid

<!– <!– <!– <!– Sydney Airport is currently experiencing significant turmoil due…
Many promotional images on the Jeanswest website appear to be AI generated.

Outrage Erupts Over Iconic Aussie Retailer’s Controversial Image: What Went Wrong?

Less than three months ago, industry experts told 9news.com.au the use of…
NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 capsule

Historic NASA Mission: First Medical Evacuation Safely Returns Ailing Astronaut to Earth

An ailing astronaut returned to Earth with three others on Thursday, ending…
Erfan Soltani was arrested at his home after taking part in a protest last week.

Iranian Protester Erfan Soltani’s Execution Halted: A Glimmer of Hope Amidst Turmoil

“We were told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and there’s…
It is not known if any have been seen in other parts of Canberra.

Canberra on High Alert: Police Discover Additional Pipe Bombs in Ongoing Investigation

In a concerning development, authorities in Canberra have uncovered an additional four…