Plea to reopen Back Beach steps
Frustrated beach users are petitioning New Plymouth councillors to reopen steps leading to one of the city’s most popular spots in time for the summer.
They also want the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) to stop taking away access to sites without first consulting the public.
More than 20 people gathered in the rain at the car park above Back Beach on Saturday to discuss their concerns with councillors Stacey Hitchcock and Murray Chong.
It followed the council’s decision in October to remove weather-damaged steps leading from the car park to the beach without public consultation.
Although the council has since pledged to look again at the issue next year, the meeting also discussed the closure of steps leading to the waterfront at Belt Rd, which was also carried out without consultation.
Katherine Britten-Wood, a regular user of Back Beach, has set up the petition over access, which has gathered more than 100 signatures online.
Since the steps were removed she had made fewer visits because she couldn’t climb down a sand dune to reach the beach.
‘‘I can’t get back up. It’s too difficult for me and for many others as well.’’
She added: ‘‘Lots of people in the community say can we get the council to move quickly so we have steps for the summer.
‘‘I’m happy that they’re reconsidering it but I want it to be done as soon as possible so we can enjoy summer and enjoy the area.
‘‘It doesn’t only affect people of my age or older, it’s the younger people that come down here too and burn their feet going down on the hot sand.’’
Stacey Hitchcock said she and Chong were not speaking on behalf of the council but were instead supporting something that the community believed strongly in.
Rebuilding the steps would cost $150,000, she said, and while that wasn’t a huge amount of money for the council it was coming from ratepayers.
‘‘If the ratepayers say spend $150,000 to replace the steps and in two years they get washed away and they want to do it again that’s their decision.’’
Councillor Chong said he was also concerned about the loss of access to the coast.
‘‘I think the discussion needs to be had that there’s not only these steps, but there are steps at Belt Rd as well. And both of them have been closed down without consultation with the public.
‘‘We need to set the standard that people need to be notified before management close them.’’