According to information given to The Mail, the council will be asked to wait up to 18 months before trying again to find a backer for the controversial project.

City of Frankston CEO George Modrich on Monday said the council would review tender submissions during the closed session of next week's meeting.

"The marina development timetable is indicative only, and is subject to variation based on the developer's proposal," Mr Modrich said. The council has spent well over $2million on planning the marina.

Councillors and officers have been warned they face disciplinary action if they speak publicly about the tender process. However, it's understood two of the consortiums involved in the bids received by the council in the latest round of tenders wanted to increase the marina's retail area to 4000 square metres, almost doubling this area.

Bidders also wanted to increase the number of wet berths from 300 to 550 but were baulking at paying to stabilise cliffs at Olivers Hill.

At least two bidders also wanted to exclude public boat launching facilities from the development, a major selling point of the marina.

Frankston Beach Association secretary Graeme Lyell has also written to Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings over coastal modelling the council wants to use for the project. He stated the council had told the association it intended to rely on technical reports presented to planning panel hearings and from data collated by the successful bidder.

Mr Lyell stated that the environmental effects studies and other assessments crucial to the project had previously accepted that physical modelling of shifting sand and erosion be made in conjunction with technical modelling. "Substandard coastal modelling studies resulting in inaccurate predictions will undermine the cultural, recreational and public realm values of Frankston Beach and Daveys Bay," he stated.

Dunkley MP Bruce Billson is calling on the Federal Government to match the then Howard government's $2 million offer to build a seawall "that facilitates the project".

Mr Billson said the marina should be subject to proper modelling to confirm that the structure would not adversely impact on local beaches. "By making public funding conditional on public use requirements and proper assessment to confirm that the seawall structure will not damage local beaches and coastal systems, we can be certain that the safe-boat harbour is a great asset for our community for decades to come."