Community steps up with input for coastal hazards strategy

Members of the Coastal Hazards northern assessment panel have toured coastal suburbs to see the effect of coastal processes and discuss treatment options. Photo / Supplied

Members of the Hawke's Bay community are helping to manage risks from beach erosion, inundation by overtopping and sea level rise, and tsunami.

Two coastal hazard assessment panels were established this year, for south of Napier Port, and north including Napier Port.

The Coastal Hazards Joint Committee is bringing community-led recommendations back to Napier City, Hastings District and Hawke's Bay Regional councils.

"Community representatives have stepped 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," says committee chairman and councillor Peter 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."

The two assessment panels represent a mosaic of coastal communities from Tangoio to Clifton. They are responsible for developing and evaluating options, with technical expert support, to consider protection works, relocation or other hazard mitigations.

The panels' findings will go to the joint committee to make recommendations back to respective councils by the end of 2017. This work dovetails into next year's Long Term Plan, 30-Year Infrastructure Strategy processes, at which time broader community consultation on options and funding will occur.