Bill Acklin
A cost-sharing deal that could help tackle erosion at Te
Rauone Beach, on Otago Peninsula, has been ruled out by the
Otago Regional Council before it has even been discussed.
The idea of a deal involving the Dunedin City Council, ORC
and Port Otago was raised by council community development
committee chairman Cr Bill Acklin this week.
He said it would be a way to fund the $160,000 needed to
build the rock breakwater at the beach proposed by Port
Otago, which - together with beach replenishment work - would
protect homes in the area.
Backing for the idea came after Cr Acklin and city council
staff visited the area to meet residents and inspect the
erosion damage last Friday.
Cr Acklin said this week it was clear there was "significant"
erosion occurring, and "something needs to be done", although
he did not yet believe it was an "emergency situation".
A cost-sharing deal between the parties could ease the burden
for the city council in tight financial times, and allow work
to address the problem to begin as early as later this year.
The idea was yet to be discussed with ORC representatives,
but Cr Acklin remained hopeful that a deal could be reached.
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has also said previously he wanted to
discuss the erosion issue with the ORC and Port Otago.
However, ORC chairman Stephen Woodhead was quick to rule out
any prospect of a deal when contacted this week.
He said the ORC was responsible for the administration of the
coastline under the Resource Management Act, but not for the
impact erosion had on coastal land.
Instead, the issue was between Port Otago - which had a
project ready to advance - and landowners in the area,
including the city council, which was responsible for the Te
Rauone Reserve.
The regional council had already funded "significant" studies
on erosion in the area, dating back more than a decade, and
held talks previously with city council representatives, he
said.
Port Otago has drawn up plans for a breakwater and
beach-replenishment project, but wanted the city council to
agree to meet the $160,000 cost of the breakwater - leaving
the port company to meet other costs totalling more than that
- before proceeding.
Initial talks between Port Otago chief executive Geoff
Plunket and city council chief executive Paul Orders were
held last month, but Mr Orders said afterwards there was no
money for the work in the council's budget, and funding would
need to be considered during the annual plan process.
Cr Acklin said he and his deputy, Cr Paul Hudson, would meet
council staff soon to discuss how to make progress on the
issue.
A staff report would follow in time for next month's
community development committee meeting and forthcoming draft
2012-13 budget deliberations in May, he said.
In the meantime, it was hoped talks could be held with ORC
and Port Otago representatives to discuss a way forward, Cr
Acklin said.
He did not believe homes in the area were already under
threat, or would be imminently, but acknowledged some could
be "at some point".
chris.morris@odt.co.nz
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