East Auckland cliff collapse no threat to homes, says Auckland Council

Some of East Auckland's most expensive clifftop properties may be collapsing but council officials say homes are not in danger.

Dramatic images have been captured of a crumbling cliff face at the weekend behind multi-million-dollar Clovelly Rd homes overlooking the Hauraki Gulf.

A back deck of one home has been left jutting precariously over the edge and the backyard of other properties have started to disappear.

But Auckland Council geotechnical and geological practice engineer Ross Roberts says neither the property filmed by a member of the public nor the two neighbouring properties are considered dangerous.

He said homes built on cliff tops faced unique risks and Clovelly Rd had a history of instability. This was not the first time part of the cliff face had eroded.

The council had investigated the slip and its effect on the buildings at the top of the cliff and ensured the area below the slip was safe for the public.

Signs had been put up warning people to keep away from the area directly underneath the cliff.

Roberts said all occupants and owners in the affected properties were working with the Earthquake Commission.

He said unless further erosion directly affected buildings, the slip was a private matter and would be dealt with by owners and the commission.

The council was managing more than 90 similar cliff slips on public land across the region.

Realtor Ben Dellabarca and his flatmate were walking beneath the cliff on Sunday when rocks starting cascading down.

Dirt, rocks and even a retaining wall suddenly collapsed on to the beach below, narrowly missing the pair's dogs.