Native coastal forest for Castlecliff dunes mooted

Castlecliff Rejuvenation Project facilitator Jamie Waugh and Whanganui District Council senior roading engineer Rui Leitao speak about Rangiora St upgrades at a public meeting on Monday.

Returning native plants to the sand dunes along Castlecliff could turn the area into a nationally significant coastal forest, Castlecliff Rejuvenation Project facilitator Jamie Waugh says.

The idea is one of the options to come out of a study by coastal scientist Ed Atkin, which was presented at a Castlecliff community meeting on Monday night.

Mr Waugh said the idea of planting the sand dunes in natives had wide support.

An artists' impression of what the lower Rangiora St block will look like after a revamp which is underway.

"There was enough positive feedback from the meeting to go on to an implementation plan, hopefully by the end of the year."

The project would be long-term and would likely attract funding.

"Because it's doing something that's at the cutting edge of environmental restoration globally. It's like a case study almost."

An artists' impression of what the lower Rangiora St block will look like after a revamp which is underway.

About 100 people turned up to what was the 5th public meeting since the Castlecliff Rejuvenation Project got under way.

Mr Waugh hailed the progress made so far that included the revamp of Rangiora St, which was due to be completed by Christmas.

"The things that we've achieved in this community are amazing and it's not because we are doing up the street. It's because we believe in this place and now other people do," he said.

"There is heart in this Castlecliff community that goes back long before anything to do with the Castlecliff Rejuvenation project got off the ground."

Mr Waugh said people has banded together earlier in the year to lobby Whanganui District Council for funding as part of its Annual Plan.

The community submitted a petition and made submissions resulting in the project getting to $350,000.

With Rangiora St due to be completed by the end of the year, council senior roading engineer Rui Leitao said attention would turn to completing the city to North Mole shared pathway by mid-2018 alongside a general revamp the Morgan St area.

Mr Leitao said the council wanted to make the most of the pathway project which was 91 per cent funded by the New Zealand transport agency.

"Once this project is finished the funding goes away. If we spend it wisely, we can all get something out of it."