Our coast and its future

Published: 15 June 2016

Last Updated: 3 May 2017

Hawke’s Bay’s coastline is one of its defining features and three of the region’s councils are working together to meet future challenges.

Late last year, a Joint Committee was established with elected members from the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Hastings District Council, Napier City Council and groups representing mana whenua and tangata whenua to develop a coastal hazards strategy.

Environmental and engineering consultants Tonkin & Taylor are currently working on a risk assessment to provide the committee with information on coastal hazards and the consequences of coastal erosion, inundation and tsunami on the coast between Clifton and Tangoio, looking as far as 100 years into the future.

The assessment will identify possible sea levels and storm surges into the next century and identify risks to infrastructure and settlements close to the coast.

“We will be able to determine what is at risk and estimate the likelihood and consequence of the hazards. The next phase will be to determine how that risk can change with various interventions, and ultimately what we should be doing in response to coastal hazards along this part of the coast,” says committee chairman and Regional Councillor Peter Beaven.

The committee has established a stakeholder group for consultation and throughout 2016 and 2017 intends working with key stakeholders to figure out the best responses to our changing climate, and changing coastline.

“The overriding purpose of the strategy is that our coastal communities, businesses and critical infrastructure from Tangoio to Clifton are resilient to the effects of coastal hazards,” says Cr Beaven.

For more information on strategy development or to get involved, please visit the Hawke's Bay Hazards website.

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