Cost puts seawall on hold
Work on a coastal erosion seawall at Napier has been put on hold at the last minute after the council found out it would cost too much.
The Napier City Council was last year finally given the green light to build a structure to prevent further erosion at Westshore beach, after seven years and three unsuccessful attempts at gaining a resource consent.
Work on the 150-metre-long limestone revetment wall along Whakarire Ave was supposed to have started in summer, but residents recently received a letter from the council informing them that estimates for the cost ‘‘exceeded the funds that are currently available for this project’’.
‘‘Staff are currently investigating options for additional funding but ... the project will probably not go ahead as planned this summer,’’ residents were told.
Council director of infrastructure Jon Kingsford said the estimate had come in at $2.2 million and this was ‘‘significantly higher than the current budget’’. The Long Term Plan had a budget of just over $1.2m for the project.
The matter would go back to the council for further approval.
‘‘The additional funding will be included in the capital budgeting process associated with the Long Term Plan and will be presented in council at December.
‘‘The recommencement of this project will be dependent upon the timing of funding made available through the Long Term Plan process,’’ Kingsford said.
The breakwater would have replaced one built in 1994, which was thought to be responsible for worsening the erosion problem on a nearby beach.