Competition, natural forces threaten Brighton

The Christchurch City Council has more than done its bit in recent years to try to revive New Brighton by building a stunning library and childrens’ playground, converting the mall to a slow road and contributing to the pier.

Civic initiatives are not new. More than 100 years ago the mayor of the New Brighton Borough Council suggested it build a concrete replica of Cave Rock on the foreshore to compete with Sumner.

The strong growth of the New Brighton commercial area in the 1950s was wholly attributable to its monopoly on Saturday trading. This has long gone, and it is futile to think local commercial activity will return to a similar level.

Notwithstanding the council’s continuing support, the future of New Brighton as a pleasant but unremarkable seaside suburb will be determined largely by private enterprise initiatives, driven by macro-economic imperatives.

Max Robertson Whangarei

Need for protection looms

It was great to see a positive article about New Brighton in Saturday’s

Press, but I also note that with all the storm news as well that the area features in the 2017 Coastal Hazards Report which the Christchurch City Council has produced.

Not wanting to pour cold water on New Brighton’s future (the sea will do that for us), can I ask what the city council intends to do to protect this area, and its new assets, from rising sea levels and increasing storms?

There seems to be three main approaches – defend, adapt or retreat.

Defence seems to be the only viable option here.

David Gregory