A new rock sea wall could be built north of Oamaru Creek to stop foreshore erosion and protect the historic freezer building which is linked to North Otago's history as the home of the frozen meat industry.
During the past two years, heavy seas have destroyed the erosion protection along the foreshore, eating into land.
Now, the Waitaki District Council's harbour sub-committee has recommended a new protection wall be built north of Oamaru Creek mouth and linking up with work already done by OnTrack to protect the goods yard and railway station.
The wall could cost up to $500,000.
The timing of the project will depend on the council agreeing that funding set aside to do the work in 2011 be brought forward to this year.
Corporate group service manager Stephen Halliwell told the sub-committee the foreshore cliff face was now within 7m of the freezer building after continued erosion.
There was some protection from a shingle beach in front of the cliff face, but a single major storm could remove that.
