The Government is pledging $3.6 million for a seawall to protect the West Coast’s State Highway 67 at Granity.
The funding is part of the $12 billion NZ Upgrade Programme announced by the Government last month when $300m was allocated for capital projects in regional New Zealand.
The first package of regional projects – worth about $190m, including $18.6m for the West Coast – is being announced by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones at an infrastructure seminar on Friday.
Jones said the 950-metre rock-lined wall at Granity, just north of Westport, would provide protection against erosion to a section of SH67 between Granity and Ngakawau.
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“This is an area that suffers from frequent coastal erosion and is an important link into the northern West Coast. The seawall will improve the highway’s resilience for the local community, and for freight supplies and rural services in the region,” he said.
GEORGE HEARD/STUFF
Some residents in Granity have built their own rockwall defence against the encroaching sea.
The Tasman sea has been moving closer to homes in Granity, Ngakawau and Hector for years, steadily chewing away at the shoreline. It has permanently changed some of the small, beachfront properties, where metres of land has fallen into the ocean.
Ngakawau Tavern owner Wayne Jones said the proposed rockwall did not go far enough south to protect all the homes on Granity’s Torea St.
“It only protects five houses and two of those have built their own rockwalls anyway. It is good they are protecting the [Ngakawau] bridge because it’s a vital link to Karamea but they should have built it two years ago,” he said.
Buller mayor Jamie Cleine said the sea had been eating away at the bridge abutments for several years.
DAVID UNWIN/STUFF
Minister of Regional Economic Development Shane Jones is announcing more funding for regional infrastructure.
Climate Sigma managing director Belinda Storey is doing a PhD at Victoria University on insurance, property and infrastructure under climate change.
She said while it was understandable the Government would want to defend critical infrastructure like a state highway, rockwalls were only a short-term fix.
“The cost of defending the state highway with a rockwall would be less than relocating the road, which is something that needs to be considered in the long-term,” she said.
“I would like to know whether the wall they are building will make nearby residential or commercial properties that are not directly behind it more vulnerable because the wave energy has to go somewhere.”
He also announced $15m of funding for West Coast ports and roads, which would help improve safety and resilience, and enable future economic growth.
ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF
Granity on the West Coast is being eroded by the sea.
About $5m would be spent upgrading six single-lane bridges on SH73 and SH6 and a $1.5m cycle and walkway would be added to the Tatare Bridge at Franz Josef.
Westport and Greymouth would both receive $4m to install floating pontoons to help the fishing industries and Jacksons Bay near Haast would get $500,000 to repair its wharves.
“The ports are currently a financial burden for the respective owners and ratepayers and there is little ability to fund improvements from the small ratepayer base.
“This is a major barrier to getting the ports into a financially sustainable position and capable of contributing to economic growth opportunities,” Jones said.
The work should be completed by late 2021.
