Another landslide delays Cape Kidnappers beach access opening

Access to Cape Kidnappers along Clifton Beach was set to re-open on April 29, but another landslide over Easter means it will remain closed for now.

The beach has been closed since January this year after the first landslide, when two tourists were badly injured, and further landslides since.

Hastings District Council was planning to re-open Clifton Beach next Monday with control measures in place, including signs, kaitiaki staff and information pamphlets.

However, another large landslide on April 20 at the site of the initial landslide will now have to be assessed before a decision to re-open the access can be made.

A drone survey is being undertaken and it is expected that information will help inform the council about whether or when the area can be re-opened.

The council says public safety is the paramount concern in its decision-making.

People are urged to avoid the area because of the risk of injury or death.

One of the councillors who supported the re-opening of the beach at a meeting on March 5, Malcolm Dixon, said work was being done to re-open the beach but safety had to come first.

"There has been this other big slip come down in the same space, so they are being very cautionary, but I know they are endeavouring to open it as soon as they can."

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, who voted against the decision to re-open the beach at the meeting in March, said council staff had informed her there had been five slips since the original slide on January 23.

She said keeping the community and visitors to the beach safe was the council's top priority.

She said since the slip at Easter, the council needed to gather more information about when it is safe to re-open access.