Flooding impossible to fix, so put up with - council report
From reporter Tina Law:
Flooding on Christchurch properties and streets is impossible to fix and residents will just have to accept it, a council report warns.
The Christchurch City Council has spent $300 million reducing the flood risk across the city since 2010, mostly around the Flockton St area and along the Heathcote River, where water was regularly seeping into people’s homes.
There are still several low-lying areas across the city, mostly along river catchments, where properties and roads flood regularly, but a council report says it is not possible to resolve all aspects of flood risk, particularly in older areas.
“There will always be a bigger flood event, or areas that cannot be practicably remedied.”
The council decided last week to develop a prioritised list of works, but staff warned the scale of the task limited the council’s ability to address all areas at pace and significant time would be needed to complete all of the work.
The report said the council and community may have to accept that some surface water ponding and private property flooding could not be addressed through physical work, particularly as the climate changed.
Read the full story here.
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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83.3% Yes
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14.3% No
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2.4% Other - I'll share below
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️