South Dunedin Community Network board and staff members (from left) Julie Ryan, Mike Hammond, Rose Dickie and Yuna Barbenel display a poster on community wellbeing, released as part of the latest stage of the South Dunedin Futures programme. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN A firestorm over long-term flood management in South Dunedin is stoking distress among locals while ignoring their wishes — and years of consultation, a local community group says. The South Dunedin Community Network has reinforced its support for the Otago regional and Dunedin city councils’ long-term flood management programme after weeks of political turmoil over suggested shortfalls in consultation and options to manage risk. A letter sent to the Otago Daily Times, signed by the network’s rōpū (board) and staff, said the South Dunedin Future programme had worked collaboratively with the network and community from inception. ‘‘We believe that South Dunedin Future’s consultation has been regular and consistent, ensuring extensive input from the South Dunedin community, resulting in a mutual, trusting and respectful partnership to develop over time,’’ it said. ‘‘Although infrastructure like ‘pipes and pumps’ remain an essential planning component, there has been strong community feedback for the development of vibrant, resilient green spaces designed for recreation and relaxation.’’ Sixteen flood-management options were whittled to seven in 2024, then refined further to a shortlist of three following following public consultation and technical work. The shortlisted options, released last month, were ‘‘selected with strong feedback and support from the South Dunedin community’’, the network said. Each shortlisted option included the proposed purchase and demolition of between 1100 and 1700 houses in the area in the next 25 years, making way for public works such as canals, pumping stations and green spaces. The possible forced acquisition of properties became a hot-button topic among councillors, including some who said residents were blindsided by the proposals and concerned the options were not focused enough on engineering solutions that could save properties. Late last month, the regional council decided an engineered flood protection system would be designed and released for consultation alongside the status quo and three shortlisted options. The following day, city councillors approved a motion ‘‘reluctantly’’ introduced by Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker, incorporating the regional council’s decision and noting an associated four-month delay in the process. Ms Barker later told the ODT it was clear ‘‘pipes and pumps’’ were already part of the shortlisted options and developing the additional option was likely to cost the city council ‘‘hundreds of thousands of dollars’’. The network was established in 2017, ‘‘envisaged as a catalyst to support South Dunedin residents adversely impacted’’ by significant flooding of the suburb in 2015. It said it was disappointed on behalf of stakeholders and residents by a consultation delay of at least four months, after councillors last month decided another option be developed for public feedback. ‘‘It is also disappointing that while ‘consultation’ has been mentioned in subsequent discussion in print and social media, the level of previous community engagement and active contribution seems to have been largely overlooked,’’ the network said. ‘‘Conversation with local residents shows that this delay and ... [associated] lack of communication is causing uncertainty and distress among some of our most vulnerable community members.’’ Despite claims residents were ambushed, feedback from previous South Dunedin Future engagement proved consultation had been robust and ongoing. It said the programme’s process was an ‘‘ongoing proactive response to a serious issue facing the city rather than the largely short-term reactive ‘pipes and pumps’ option raised at the last minute’’. ‘‘Deciding how to mitigate the long-term effects of sea-level rise was never meant to be a unilateral decision. Final choices will rely on extensive and ongoing community input.’’ Yesterday, a petition calling for ‘‘immediate action to progress a practical pipes and pumps engineering solution for South Dunedin’’, established by the Dunedin Area Citizens Association following the councils’ decision to add a fourth consultation option, reached 1000 signatures. ruby.shaw@odt.co.nz
