Westshore residents sit on both sides of new sea wall
Residents of Whakarire Ave in Westshore in Napier are divided over a decision by the City Council to finally begin work on a new sea wall at the beach.
The seawall has been a hotly debated topic between locals and Council for many years. However, Napier City Councillor for the Ahuriri Ward, Keith Price, asserts that many living on the coast are in favour of the wall, saying it is a “starting point” for protecting the area.
Crumbling black blocks scattered along this small stretch of coast are the remnants of an earlier attempt to combat coastal erosion from almost thirty years ago. It is reclaimed land, with no less than a dozen houses built along its 19 hectare foreshore after the 1931 earthquake.
Having been granted the necessary building consents in 2016, Napier City Council has announced that work on the new wall and public walkway will begin in March. It has been arranged so that owners of the 12 properties along the 150 metre stretch of beach will pay 3 per cent of the cost, with the rest being met by the Napier ratepayer. However, residents have mixed feelings about the new construction.
“We have to pay three per cent for something we don’t even own,” one local complains. Their property boundaries end halfway through their backyards, overlapping council land which they dutifully maintain and keep well-established gardens on.
“Some of these aloe plants are at least ninety years old.”
Others are less opposed to the wall itself but remain uncertain about the added walkway mere metres from their homes, fearing their personal space will be compromised.
Price rejects the notion that the public walkway running across former backyards could impact people’s privacy.
“I am of the belief it will come to a pretty good compromise with everyone. I’ve found from experience over the years that when we put these paths in, cycleways and walkways, people are not very happy about it but once they go in they’re actually very happy.”
A new sea wall will be built in Westshore, Napier. Photo/Hawke's Bay App
Families play and dogs bark happily in the surf at Westshore, seemingly unfazed by the dissolving wall from 1994 jutting out of the water like broken teeth. Nonetheless, seeing this each day has had those on Team Wall waiting for a replacement for more than twenty years. One of those is Judy Tindall, a long-term Shore resident.
“There is erosion along the whole of the coast and it’s particularly bad in this area,” she says. “Twelve years we’ve been talking to the Council about it, they didn’t have a contractor. Now it seems they’ve got a contractor, and they are going to do it in March.”
She points to her copy of a large A2 sheet of landscaping blueprints.
“That involves putting out what they term a revetment, which is out in the sea, and eventually taking all this foliage away and making it a park through in front of the houses.”
Tindall also acknowledges her neighbour’s dilemmas with the plan.
“I think for some that’s been problematic because their houses are much nearer to the boundary than I am, but I want it because I want to be able to sell my house. I’m definitely for it.”
Another factor to consider is a colony of roughly 200 little blue penguins which have been nesting on Westshore beach for generations. Martin Tozer, who is currently renting one of the 12 houses, is concerned the endangered birds may lose their habitat.
He says officials have been out several times to make spot checks on the colony over the past two years, but this does little to alleviate worries on where the penguins will go afterwards.
“That’s why they (The Council) always push back the sea wall every other year. That’s why it’s never been built.”
On the issue of the penguin colony, Price describes this as being a “stumbling point” for Council being able to start the project. He adds however, they have been talking with the nearby Port of Napier, on ways to safely locate the birds elsewhere.
“The timing in doing it (building the sea wall and walkway) hinges on the penguins.”
Construction will commence next month when the colony migrates from the area, allowing a short window of time for work to be completed before their return next breeding season. Price is confident the build will be done before then.
“I don’t think it will take too long, I think the new limestone blocks have already been brought into Napier now.”
