Damned after dam plan dissolves
IT’S little wonder 34 homeowner in Matata are upset.
They are facing New Zealand’s first eviction by removing existing use, after Whakatane District Council’s plan to build a dam after 2005 floods were scuppered.
Principal planner Shane McGhie said council looked at building the debris detention structure, like a net, to mitigate risks.
‘‘That decision was reviewed further in 2012 and the advice to see how it could work,’’ he said. ‘‘They said they have looked at it and it just wouldn’t work.’’
While that decision was made in 2012, it did little to stop people purchasing land in the area. Ian Lockett and Tawai Thatcher purchased their home on Clem Elliot Drive in 2015.
‘‘When we bought the house, we had heard about the flood and we decided to speak to council,’’ Thatcher said.
‘‘They said nothing about a managed retreat of the area, so we had our lawyer look over the documents and purchased the home.’’
Two months after settlement, they spoke to neighbour Marilyn Pearce, who informed them of the bad news.
‘‘Maybe we could have looked a bit more into it, but we thought we had done our checks. If this was on their plans to do, they could have warned us.’’
Thatcher and Lockett purchased their home for $305,000 and council put down a tentative offer of $305,000 to purchase their property from them. Neighbouring houses have been tentatively offered much more.
‘‘Where are we going to go?’’ Thatcher said. ‘‘At our age, we can’t begin paying a mortgage again and $305k just won’t get another house, let alone one by the beach.’’
In recognition of existing-use rights being removed, McGhie said residents were given an indicative offer they could expect based on 2016 values, should the decision be made to acquire the properties.
But Pearce says council will have to carry her out of her home.
‘‘They have set us up to fail,’’ she said. ‘‘They have stripped the values out of our homes over the last few years.
‘‘My rates bill gets up to $3144, which includes a $352 targeted rate to maintain the stream, mitigate the risk and and build that dam.’’
McGhie said he was aware of residents’ concern over offers and there may be a review.