With coastal erosion becoming more and more prevalent around the globe numerous studies have been conducted on different areas with a range of options developed to try to save the affected beaches and houses.

Following recent storms Old Bar has quickly caught the attention of the State government and has been declared a 'hot spot' for coastal erosion, prompting the government to fund a study, in conjunction with Greater Taree City Council, to find the best solution to the erosion problem.

Council was given 12 weeks to conduct the study with the help of engineers from the University of NSW and consultants Royal Haskoning DHV, resulting in last week's presentation of plans and information for a sea wall to be constructed along the beach at Old Bar to save the threatened houses.

"From our studies we see this as the most practical, cost-effective option that will undoubtedly save the houses and that's our number one priority," council's senior leader of strategic planning, Richard Pamplin said.

At the information session Richard admitted that the sea wall would most likely mean that the beach was lost, however he reiterated that council's number one priority was to stop the loss of homes into the sea.

The NSW government has thrown its support behind the study and although current legislation means the sea wall couldn't be constructed the way the preliminary plans outline, they are using Old Bar as a pilot program for future coastal erosion projects and told the consultants to disregard current legislation in their planning process.

"They've basically told us that whatever we come up with, they'll back us and change the legislation for us and for future projects," Richard explained.

"We had been working to a planned retreat strategy in compliance with the State government but they believe, as we do, that this will work and they're willing to make the changes to see it come to fruition. That's a pretty big deal."

Stage one of the project stretches 430m along Lewis Street and Richard estimated that it would cost about $9.1 million to complete, with stage two continuing on along Pacific Parade towards Old Bar Primary School.

It is designed to be about five metres tall, with a cycleway along the top of the wall and will be made mostly of large rocks.

There are plans for the wall to adapt with any further loss of sand from the base, as the bottom layer can rotate down to continue to block water from getting through.

When asked if there was any chance that the beach could still survive if the sea wall goes ahead, Mr Pamplin said it was "dubious".

"You can't predict it, unfortunately," he said.

Many Old Bar locals as well as other Manning residents attended the information session, held at Club Old Bar from 2pm to 5pm on Thursday afternoon, with mixed feedback on whether or not a sea wall was the appropriate solution to the problem.

Old Bar Beach Sand Replenishment Group president Elaine Pearce attended and although she admitted to being grateful for the State government's support and willingness to find a solution, as well as council's work in the matter, she stood firm on the group's support of an artificial reef being the only solution to the problem.

"A sea wall is not environmentally friendly, there's been so many problems with them in other areas and I can say on behalf of my group that we are not in favour of any kind of sea wall on our beach," she said.

"It's great that the government has taken an interest and that council is at last looking at ways to protect the beach but there are different options available.

"The problem is that the Lewis Street houses have been allowed to go too far," Elaine added, before explaining that OBBSRG had submitted a plan to council in 2009 for a rock revetment with sand stabilisers to try and stop the erosion.

"We were told that it couldn't be done with the coastal management plan though."