Wall divides opinion
Sea-battered O¯ whiro Bay is getting a new sea wall but not where locals say it is desperately needed.
In the wake of massive damaging waves in the Wellington South Coast community last month, mayor Andy Foster talked of plans, already under way, to build a new sea wall ‘‘in the area hardest hit’’.
But the council has now put out tenders for a new wall to be installed on the opposite side of the bay from where residents say the waves caused the most damage.
‘‘To suggest the wall is in the area the hardest hit by the swell is completely untrue,’’ one resident told Stuff. ‘‘The worst damage was several hundred metres away, on the other side of the bay.’’
Since the massive April swells, O¯ whiro Bay residents have been in extensive talks with agencies – including the city council – about mitigating the risks.
While the council disputes this, those who live in the bay say hardest-hit were those at the northwest edge of the bay. The new seawall is being put on the eastern side of the bay.
When Stuff visited the site in the aftermath of the storm, the lower-lying homes on the western side had more obvious wave damage. Resident Eugene Doyle, who has been leading the community’s response to wave damage, said he only heard of the planned sea wall when contacted yesterday.
‘‘I’m astonished they haven’t shared it with us,’’ he said.
He was not opposed to a new sea wall where it was planned but believed the council needed to look at its priorities.
Local councillor Fleur Fitzsimons said the council could do better with community engagement and needed to get expert advice before starting any project.
Resident Robb Noble, whose house was damaged in the waves, didn’t begrudge those getting a sea wall but thought the council should look at extending it.
‘‘It does seem a little funny that the four to five houses most affected won’t get any protection.’’
A council spokesman said the sea walls – as well as others out for tender at Breaker Bay and Pt Halswell – were part of the council’s ongoing resilience work.
‘‘Re the ‘hardest hit’ area, we beg to differ with Eugene – the eastern side of the bay was severely battered as well – the YouTube footage makes that clear.’’