Waiwera Coach Trail Villa residents cautiously return after major slip ploughed into homes, council continues investigation

Residents of a Waiwera apartment building are slowly returning to their properties after being left “traumatised” when a huge pine tree thundered onto their homes in a landslide.

The large slip, which stretched across the Twin Coast Discovery Highway early Friday morning, forced the evacuation of residents from 18 properties, including the Waiwera Coach Trail Villas.

Villa resident Dave Preston, who was evacuated at 6.30am, told the Herald he was awoken by a huge crash just before dawn.

The slip tumbled across Hibiscus Coast / Twin Discovery Highway down onto the villas. Photo / NZ Stormchasers Group

Preston told the Herald while the majority of residents were given access to the villas the same evening, the offer was not immediately taken up.

“We’re all well except some residents close to the damage are a bit traumatised.”

He said no one had yet heard from insurance or any council representatives since the event when they “declared it CTV safe and gave residents access”.

“I reported another dodgy pine tree again to Auckland Council over the weekend as there are a few nervous residents here - no reply yet either.

“We were given access on Friday evening although four [people] have been staying with friends and relatives until now.”

The landslide caused a tree to spear through a Waiwera resident's apartment. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland Council spokesperson told the Herald Auckland Transport carried out a preliminary investigation of the area and “found it is stable”.

Auckland Council compliance officers assessed three dwellings on Saturday.

“Each of the three dwellings had sustained damage from the slip but were not deemed dangerous buildings – meaning residents are allowed to continue entering them to carry out repair work."

The spokesperson said by the time the council arrived at the site most, if not all, residents appeared to have left.

“While this may mean that they have found alternative accommodation, we remain in contact with the local Community Resilience Group and will work with them to address any needs if they arise.

“A further investigation of the area will determine next steps.”

Resident of Waiwera Coach Trail Villas, David Preston. Photo / Michael Craig

Preston said they’ve had a big clean up and things were getting back to “normal”.

He said his neighbour, who moved into the complex a few weeks ago, was lucky to escape uninjured.

“He was very close to being injured. The tree fell right through his roof.

“He was lucky not to be pinned to his bed.”

Preston, who is a member of the Waiwera Community Resilience Group, said he and others have been contacting the Auckland Council for months with concerns over the trees.

“We’ve been calling the council for months trying to get the trees taken down, and now they’ve come down by themselves.”

Hibiscus Coast Highway was closed both ways at Waiwera, while the usual road-toll fees for alternative route Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway were waived.