DOC ‘shirking’ responsibility
The Department of Conservation is refusing to pay for repairs to the Foxton Beach wharf, and a councillor says the agency is shirking responsibility.
A gabion basket wall, a wire box filled with stones, was installed in 2014 but has disintegrated and is no longer effective. It was intended to be a temporary measure after the derelict jetty was removed, but it was never replaced with the permanent structure causing further erosion.
The repairs involve removing the basket wall and exposed concrete, installing a new rock wall, fixing the eroded car park and extending the footpath to connect the existing track on Hartley St to the wharf. The repairs were expected to cost $350,000.
The land is owned by the Department of Conservation, but the agency said any funding would contribute to removing the wharf, not repairing it.
The Foxton Beach Freeholding Account, a fund that helps pay for projects which benefit the Foxton Beach community, would pay for 50 per cent of repairs. The Manawatu¯ Marine Boating Club and the Horowhenua District Council would split the remaining cost.
Department of Conservation supervisor Kelly Hancock said it would not be contributing financially to the remediation that was caused by coastal erosion. ‘‘Any funding DOC could contribute would be for the removal of the wharf; we would be unlikely to secure funding for repairs as this would not align with the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010.’’
The policy said the Department of Conservation does not invest in hard coastal structures in high-risk areas.
‘‘Instead, we encourage redevelopment, or change in land use, where that would reduce the risk of adverse effects from coastal hazards, including managed retreat by relocation or removal of existing structures.’’
Hancock said the wharf did not serve any conservation purpose, but the agency was aware it was a valued community asset. It had been working with the council and community to come up with a long-term solution.
Horowhenua District councillor Sam Jennings said the response was ‘‘duck-shoving of the worst kind’’, and the department looked like it was trying to come up with any reason not to spend money on the wharf. ‘‘In the end, the poor old ratepayer has to pick up the tab for fixing something they don’t own and aren’t responsible for, because a Government agency is shirking on its responsibilities.’’
He said despite the agency saying repairs were inconsistent with the coastal policy, it seemed to be happy for the council to repair the wharf.
Jennings said it was not good enough and the council needed to push back or set in motion taking legal ownership of the site.
‘‘I would loathe to commit any further ratepayer funds unlesswe own the wharf and there was a sound business case justifying the expenditure.’’
Foxton councillor David Allan said he had sympathy for the agency, that had bigger things to worry about. ‘‘To me it’s about use, recognising its value and finding funding from other places.’’