Ann Redstone: Sensible solution needed to protect coastline

Ann Redstone

'Coast preservation impacts us all', the headline for Tony Jeffery's talking point is right on the mark.

Tony's article talks mainly about the very slow drawn out three council process which is underway. Meanwhile homes are being damaged or dropping closer toward the sea along the Cape Coast, one only a few weeks ago.

The impacts of doing nothing are numerous, negative and distressing for those who live here, including those who drive past daily and wonder if and when anything will ever be done to implement what is a logical protection plan.

Fear of losing homes, loss of confidence in the future of the area, declining population and lower school rolls which could lead to closure are a concern for any community.

Everyone needs to understand this problem is a regional and national issue. There are over 8000 kilometres of coastline in this country which could be under threat. I often hear comments like 'why would people buy there?'

The answer is because they don't know there's a problem. Then the discussion turns to managed retreat which means pick up your house and move inland, but where to?
There is already a shortage of residential land in Hastings and the last thing I would like to see is our valuable horticultural land being taken up for relocation of homes. Then the question will be 'who is going to feed us?'

The simple answer is to get on with the implementation of sensible, affordable solutions to protect our coastline. Groynes work. The Tukituki groyne has proved itself in building up the shingle on the beach and stemming further erosion over the past 14 years along approximately 600 metres of the coastline.

The groyne is a very basic design which cost less than $200,000 to build and was originally part of a resource consent obtained for three groynes.

Sadly the Regional Council decided not to proceed with the next two stages of this groynefield. If it had been completed the homes lost recently would most likely have been saved.

Something permanent needs to be done and soon.

Shingle replenishment is all very well but it's effectively a sticking plaster on a gaping wound. The councils need to agree on a few simple groynes at minimal cost and then use adaptive management to monitor the effects.

The ridiculously expensive groyne plan proposed by the joint councils in 2009 was off the planet. Since then WOW and Steve Moynihan, a respected, world renowned coastal engineer came up with a variety of adaptations to try and make this affordable.

These proposals presented to councils by WOW (Walking On Water), were then blown out of all proportion due to council engineers demanding immense quantities of shingle be carted from Central Hawkes Bay to fill the groynes so that the shingle would bypass the end of the groynes and head on down to protect their infrastructure and feed Awatoto shingle plant.

The Tukituki groyne never had shingle added. It filled itself in a matter of weeks.
The Cape Coast is a regional asset and the easy access playground for both cities.

Fishing, swimming, surfing, boating, camping, the farmyard zoo, a car museum, a number of award winning wineries and a world class golf course.

So many things to do. It's not just homes under threat, it's all these recreational facilities, which impacts all of us.

■Ann Redstone is standing as a candidate for the Hastings District Council (Heretaunga Ward) in the local government elections.
■Views expressed here are the writer's opinion and not the newspaper's. Email: editor@hbtoday.co.nz