My Account
The Whangaparāoa Shoreline Adaptation Plan has been approved despite some reservations from local Councillors.
The plan, which was presented to the Environment and Climate Change Committee on March 10, details 35 coastal stretches in Whangaparāoa and says little intervention is needed to protect Council assets over the next 100 years.
The report said natural systems such as wide beaches, well-vegetated dunes and tidal marshes were some of the best buffers against the effects of climate change.
Cr Wayne Walker said anyone reading this plan would be quite complacent.
“I think we’ve done something because we have to do it, but I don’t think the plan provides anyone with any detail on what is going to happen in the future,” Walker said. “In terms of realism, I don’t think it’s particularly realistic.”
Walker asked whether the claim that little intervention was needed over the next 100 years was credible.
Principal natural hazards specialist Tracy Howe said it was unlikely other areas of Auckland would get by with such little intervention.
“Most of Whangaparāoa’s coastline is actually cliff area, which is the reason for little intervention,” Howe said.
Cr John Watson said the coastal environment was a part of people’s lives.
“This infrastructure is really valued by the community. A set of stairs is not just a set of stairs, it’s their access to the beach. That access, that quality of life, will be lost,” Watson said.
He asked if there would be more opportunity for continued engagement as observations made in the report might not be the view of the community.
Engineering resilience head Ross Roberts said there was plenty of time to provide feedback as ‘short term’ in the plan meant 20 years.
“There will be a major opportunity to give input. If you think there is a need for extra consultation, we welcome that,” Roberts said.
Roberts said the discussion of whether to defend the bays would come under the Unitary Plan.
Shoreline Adaptation Plans are being developed across Auckland to provide a long-term adaptation strategy for council-owned land and assets in response to the impacts of coastal hazards and climate change (including sea-level rise). Once all plans are finished, a regional funding scheme will be developed to implement the changes.
