Seawalls can stay, panel says

The owners of four neighbouring waterfront properties in Point Wells were celebrating a win last week, after an independent hearing granted them all retrospective resource consent for seawalls they had built without permission.

Auckland Council wanted the walls built on the public esplanade reserve removed, but commissioners Karyn Kurzeja, Hugh Leersnyder and Gavin Lister said the effects of the low-profile structures were less than minor and did not impede public access.

However, council resource consents manager Ian Dobson said afterwards, the decision shouldn’t encourage other property owners to disregard due process.

“It is certainly not the case that homeowners with coastal properties should expect to be able to build seawalls without resource or building consents and achieve the same outcome,” he warned. “It is not uncommon for the council to require the removal of unconsented seawalls or similar works, and in some cases, the council may prosecute homeowners who have flouted these rules.”

He cited an example from 2021, when a property owner was fined more than $41,000 for building two large retaining walls at Beachlands. 

“While we understand the desire of homeowners to protect their properties from erosion, the regulations are in place for a good reason. Unlawful seawalls can pose risks to both people and the coastal environment, including exacerbation of coastal erosion processes on adjacent land, as well as impact ecology and the natural character of the coast,” Dobson added.

He urged anyone thinking of carrying out coastal stabilisation works to work with council to ensure structures were not only compliant with the Resource Management Act, Auckland Unitary Plan and Building Code, but were also the most appropriate means of mitigating coastal hazard and climate change impacts.

The Point Wells property owners still have to obtain landowner consent for their walls from Rodney Local Board, which owns the esplanade reserve.