Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has announced that members of the community are leading the decision-making on managing risks from beach erosion, inundation by overtopping and sea level rise and tsunami through a region-wide coastal hazards strategy.
Two coastal hazard assessment panels have been established this year, for south of Napier Port, and north including Napier Port.
Hawke’s Bay Regional councillor, Peter Beaven, chairs the Coastal Hazards Joint Committee, tasked with bringing community-led recommendations back to Napier City, Hastings District and Hawke’s Bay Regional Councils.
“We’ve already witnessed community representatives stepping up to tackle a large volume of work. These are big issues, which haven’t affected the wider community yet, but are going to become high on councils’ agendas,” said Mr Beaven.
“I want to acknowledge the efforts of the community members who have committed to this project, giving up a fair bit of their time. This project will deliver workable solutions with benefits that will extend beyond coastal communities.”
Two coastal hazard assessment panels represent a mosaic of coastal communities from Tangoio to Clifton. They are each responsible for developing and evaluating options, with technical expert support, to consider protection works, relocation or other hazard mitigations, the council said.
The assessment panels’ findings will go to the Joint Committee to make recommendations back to respective councils by the end of 2017.
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