Auckland businesses suffer losses as Parnell sinkhole repairs extend beyond initial deadlines

Watercare’s set a completion date for repairs on a sinkhole-swallowed carpark in Auckland, but it is too late for some local businesses who have had to relocate and shut their doors.  A giant sinkhole opened up on St Georges Road in Parnell last September after a sewer line collapsed. Photo / Tomas Rice

• A sinkhole repair in Auckland’s Parnell is delayed, now expected to be fixed by the end of 2024.
• The collapse of a sewer line caused significant wastewater leakage into Waitematā Harbour for weeks.
• Local businesses report substantial losses and poor communication from Watercare about delays.

Repairs to the sinkhole in Auckland’s Parnell face further delays and it’s now not expected to be fixed until the end of the year.

The 13-metre deep hole opened on St Georges Bay Rd last September after a sewer line collapsed – caused by a combination of factors including heavy rain and deteriorating pipes.

A later report found it led to about eight million litres of wastewater pouring daily into Waitematā Harbour for several weeks.

In June, Watercare asset and upgrades renewals manager Suzanne Lucas said the carpark was expected to be reinstated by September. Now, that’s been pushed to the end of 2024.

“The main contributing factor to that has been the weather,” said Lucas.

“The whole project’s been done with that sewer still in service, so anytime we get any sort of heavy rainfall we can’t safely send people into the sewer to work.”

She said over June and July, they had 16 working days impacted by rain.

“We underestimated the impact rain would have on this project,” said Lucas.

A giant sinkhole opened up on St Georges Road in Parnell last September after a sewer line collapsed. Photo / Tomas Rice

Businesses in the Parnell Quarter, which lies at the top of the road, have felt the impact of the year-long construction.

Social Cooking, a business next door to the sinkhole, said it lost a large amount of business due to the works.

Owner Katrina Horton estimated the business has lost $50,000.

She said Watercare’s communication has been poor.

“We were initially told it would be done and dusted by March, and then we were told May, then around August and we’ve been told nothing since,” she said.

“But the lack of communication, the lack of regard for the businesses who are impacted by it, no offer of compensation, no recognition of the impact to our revenue streams.”

Social Cooking is not the only business impacted. Elle Maison, a family-owned home goods store, has had to move from the area completely due to the ongoing works.

Owner Noelle Davies said people walking in felt intimidated by the construction and driving in was bad enough but walking felt quite unsafe.

Havana Coffee located nearby has shut down its roastery cafe until the end of the year as a result of the sinkhole.