Napier council agrees to lease land for cabins for cyclone-displaced whānau

Some of those hit by Cyclone Gabrielle are still living in emergency accommodation, damaged homes or other stressful situations, an agenda document from a council meeting said. Photo / File / Natasha Tanner

By Lauren Crimp of RNZ

Some Hawke’s Bay residents forced from their whenua after it was destroyed by Cyclone Gabrielle may soon have a temporary place to call home.

Napier City Council has agreed to lease its land on Domain Rd in Westshore to the Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust, which it plans to use for cabins to house displaced whānau for three years.

The trust represents a handful of hapū affiliating to Tāngoio marae, which was also decimated during the cyclone.

It asked the council whether it had any land it could place cabins on, as some whānau still did not have adequate housing.

“These affected whānau are currently in various forms of emergency accommodation, living in damaged homes or other stressful situations,” agenda documents from Thursday’s council meeting said.

Council chief executive Louise Miller said they had just one residential site available and no plans to develop it.

Mayor Kirsten Wise said that was an opportunity for council to help those who had suffered unimaginable devastation and loss.

“The affected whānau at the very least deserve a warm, dry and safe place to live.

“Leasing this parcel of land will play a small part in affording them that.”

Councillor Juliet Greig voted against approving the lease, and raised concerns about safety for children, with the land neighbouring State Highway 2.

But council staff said while fencing would be put up on that side of the land, council’s only responsibility was the lease, and safety would be up to the whānau to manage.

“We’re simply providing the land, and the trust are well aware of the limitations,” Miller said.

“Unfortunately they don’t have a lot of other alternatives at this stage, I’m not sure that we plan to do any further work, other than provide the land and the lease.”

Council staff said neighbours would receive a letter about the plans, but there was no need for consultation.

The trust will first do due diligence on the land before it commits to the lease.