The option, one of three, is the most costly but is firming as favourite with the harbour’s regular users. 

At a public forum this week, it was clear most of those in attendance favoured a spur being built off the breakwater and a larger seawall being added from the beach. That option, which effectively creates a horse-shoe shaped port, is estimated to cost $5.5 million with ongoing annual maintenance of $400,000. 

It was revealed at the forum that two groups charged with ending years of debate on how to upgrade the harbour had seriously considered eight possible solutions to improving boat safety.

Marine and environmental scientist John Sherwood said the options ranged from a tractor launch to an extravagant inland marina being created between the skate park and harbour pavilion.

Dr Sherwood, chair of the technical reference group, said each of the eight concepts were developed in collaboration with a community reference group and from reams of reports produced over the past 20 years. 

“We’ve canvassed everything you could possibly think about doing,” he said. “We had them categorised into seven sections with sub-elements, which included things like access for people with special needs, and gave them a score on a five-point scale. 

“There was a joint meeting of the two groups and we whittled them down to the three that best met the criteria and got wave analysis done on all of them.”

Public submissions about the three options close with the council on Monday.