Amberley’s new coastal defence delayed

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

Efforts to protect a Canterbury beach community from the sea have been delayed a month, as resource conditions are met.

Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie last month said work to build a $750,000 coastal bund to protect the Amberley Beach village would be completed before Christmas.

But with the festive season fast approaching, the start date has been postponed until January.

Council staff, the Amberley Beach Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Community Association and contractor Ready Mix Concrete are working to meet consent conditions from Environment Canterbury.

Once work begins, it will take about a month to complete, Mr Dobbie said.

‘‘Given the amount of time the work will take, it was felt it was better to delay the project rather than start the work and then stop work for two weeks over Christmas.’’

A bund is a type of embankment which protects against the sea.

While the residents’ association looks forward to the work being completed, committee member John Manson rejected suggestions the rising sea level was the problem.

His biggest fear was the increased risk of severe storms leading to six to seven metre waves, due to climate change.

‘‘There is a sense of urgency because we have had a three to four year calm period.

‘‘The last series of major storms we experienced was during 2020-21.’’
The new bund will be larger than the existing embankment and will be built into the sand to make it more resilient in a storm, Manson said.

It is being built up to a culvert at a lagoon to the north of the village.

But the residents’ association would like it built a further 180m to the north to prevent stormy seas causing the lagoon to overflow, which has been allowed in the consent.

Councillor Vanessa McPherson said she is hopeful the council will look at extending the bund, once initial work is completed.

‘‘This is one of the most proactive communities I have been involved with and you can see it with what the residents are achieving.

‘‘It is such a beautiful place. I love this beach. It has got its own personality. It is wild and it is emotional.’’

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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