Water on the agenda at Wainui

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

WATER was the primary concern among those at a Wainui Beach community consultation meeting.

Many of the about 20 attending the Gisborne District Council-led meeting were concerned about the quality of the Wainui Stream, which had in recent times been contaminated by overflows.

Most were worried about the risk of flooding — largely caused by excess stormwater — at both the southern and northern ends of the beach and wanted to know what the council was going to do about it.

Asked what was happening at the Douglas Street (northern) end of Wainui, councillor Brian Wilson said he had an assurance from staff that it would be sorted this year.

The problems at the Lloyd George Road (southern) end, however, were more complicated. When originally subdivided more than 30 years ago by the landowning Ferris family, blocks of no smaller than 2000 square metres were approved.

But over the years some undersized lots had slipped through, threatening the rural lifestyle amenity value and putting pressure on services.

There were worries about what more intensive development could do to community services like nearby Wainui Beach School, which one resident had heard was already at capacity.

But the immediate concern was that of excess water, something those at the meeting had for years been working to resolve.

There had been progress, said Nikki Searancke, a member of the original Ferris whanau who continues to live in the Lloyd George Road area.

“We had opposed further subdivision due to the way stormwater affects our property but we have now allowed for the council to put a waterway through our land,” she said.

“But that does not change the fact that if there is to be more subdivision and more building, the run-off from housing will only increase our issues.”

Council staff had told fellow resident (and whanau member) Fleur Ferris that due to an “anomoly” in the planning rules, sections as small as 800 square metres had been approved and that could mean an increase of up to 200 houses at the northern end of Wainui.

“Isn’t that just planning by retrospective fix-ups?” asked Jennie Haare Hindmarsh, who has lived in Lloyd George Road for 11 years.

“That would have a huge impact on the surrounding area.”

City dweller but soon-to-be-Lloyd George Road resident Aaron Snodgrass wanted to know why talks about extending reticulated water to the area had ground to a halt.

“No one seems to know why consultation on that issue ended without resolution,” he said.

Mr Foon said cost had been a barrier to the proposal but suggested that Mr Snodgrass make a submission that reticulation be raised during next year’s round of consulation.

Mr Foon said water quality in stormwater, wastewater and natural waterways around the district was improving “regardless of what we think”.