I asked about what is happening with the currently disrupted vehicle access to the beach and about the upcoming community consultation about vehicle access. Stephan Titze, HDC Parks and Property Project Lead | Kaihautū Kaupapa Papa Rēhia, Rawa replied:
To answer your question on a quick note.
a.) re-establishment of existing vehicular access at end of Manga Pirau:
The reestablishment of the current access way depends on several aspects
- Evaluation of river conditions:
To my knowledge is the river currently still undercutting the vehicle access. A orientation of the river mouth further towards west would be necessary to allow for such re-establishment of the beach access.
- Availability of related resource consent:
Under the One Plan of the Horizons Regional Council such works in the coastal area will require resource consent which at this stage has not been applied for (yet).
- Access approval by private land owner:
As you may know, the current vehicular access is leading over private land. Since more than 50 years the owner of this land have generously granted public access over the land. However, questionable behaviour of some user have put quite some pressure on this free service. This goes also along with changes on responsibilities of the landowner under the Health & Safety Act. As of today the access way is to be considered as unsafe and therefore the access way has been blocked (by council officers) to prevent accidents and related physical harm to user of the access way.
Please note that council is currently in discussion with the private landowner to arrange for a long lasting lease agreement. This discussion includes also a potential short term agreement prior to a signature of such lease agreement. The next meeting with the trustees of the private property is scheduled for today [27 November 2023].
b. public consultation on vehicular access
First off, all I need to correct an earlier statement. The public consultation process will now be run by council staff itself. Boffa Miskell is at this stage not involved in any public consultation anymore.
Keeping this in mind, currently the team is working on the finalization of the related documentation / questions related to the following three options:
Vehicular access via existing access way at the end of Manga Pierau without application for resource consent for “river training” Vehicular access via existing access way at the end of Manga Pierau with application and implementation of “river training” No action from council - which may will lead to no available vehicular access at Waikawa Beach (access provided via Otaki and Ohau) No fixed date for the consultation process is given yet.
