Homeowners Trapped In Limbo As Whirinaki Flood Resilence Costs Rise

Thursday, 30 January 2025, 9:51 pm
Article: Linda Hall - Local Democracy Reporter

A ground-breaking plan to raise a Hawke’s Bay state highway to allow people to move their Cyclone Gabrielle-hit homes out of Category 2C is in jeopardy.

It’s news that has frustrated a Whirinaki homeowner, who has been waiting for two years to return to Category 1.

The Whirinaki flood resilience project, announced in November 2023, included raising and strengthening stopbanks and raising a section of State Highway 2, and upgrading its culverts. It was expected to be funded through Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC).

But that funding has dried up and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is now asking Central Government to cover costs, which have risen to $26.94m.

Whirinaki resident Lyn Noanoa says Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has to be accountable and do what it said it would. When the project was announced the council said the homes near even harder-hit Eskdale would move from Category 2A to 2C - a provisional flood risk category until the work to mitigate the risk is complete.

At the time HBRC aimed to move the homes to category 1 “in the next six to 12 months”, it told Hawke’s Bay Today.

“We just want the Regional Council to forge ahead and get their work done,” Noanoa said.

“We can’t move into Category 1 until they have completed the work,” the Pohutukawa Drive resident said.

The council has applied to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) for additional funding to complete the flood-resistance work.

Council said the project was initially planned to provide a 1-in-100-year level of service for Pohutukawa Drive residents, while assuming minimal upgrades would be needed for a stopbank for the community’s biggest employer Pan Pac, which was already designed for a 1-in-500-year event.

“However, NIWA’s April 2024 report, Flood Frequency in the Hawke’s Bay Region following Cyclone Gabrielle, presented updated return period data showing an increase in the estimated likelihood and intensity of extreme weather events over time, underscoring the need for significant adjustments,” Council said.

But Noanoa says no one has been accountable so far and that people can’t move on in their lives.

“Our community has fought long and hard. It’s their duty and job to protect and look after everyone.

“Being in Category 2a affects everything for the community. Mortgages, insurance, house prices. My insurance company has rang me asking if the stop bank is in.

“But no, it’s not. We have watched the silt being moved from one pile to another. Why can’t they just use it and put whatever they need in it and build the stopbank?”

Noanoa and her husband moved back into their house in July after living in a caravan on the property after Cyclone Gabrielle on February 12, 2023.

“Everyone had to wait nine months before the council could decide what Category we would be in. Then it was mayhem when they said yes we could all rebuild. Tradies were hard to come by.”

She says rain and storms don’t bother her.

“The thing that triggers my memory of the cyclone is helicopters. They were everywhere, Police helicopters, neighbours being rescued off roofs and later food drops as we were isolated.”

She said it was “fabulous” to be back in their home but “I don’t like to say we are fine when there are so many people still trying to climb out” of their situations.

“I’m grateful and humbled that the community stuck together. Our entire street is back in their homes now.

"We love being here. We are just two oldies in our 70s trying to live our lives the best way we can.”

SKELETONS

The Noanoas kept passersby amused with the installation of a seat with two skeletons sitting on it and a sign that read “Waiting on decisions”.

“It was our daughter Amber’s idea. She said ‘you’ve been waiting so long you are going to end up as skeletons’.”

“It kept our community at the forefront as sightseers stopped to take photos.

“When we were moving back in I had put the skeletons on top of the skip bin. It was the end of a chapter. Then one of the builders next door asked if he could have them for his mate.

“So now they have a new place in Gisborne.”

WORK TO BE DONE

Raising the Pohutukawa Drive stopbank to a 1-in-500-year protection level to prevent overtopping and potential flooding of the industrial area.

Strengthening the Pan Pac stopbank to ensure it meets long-term flood protection standards.

Raising a section of State Highway 2 and upgrading its culverts, which are now critical components of the flood mitigation strategy.

PROJECT BENEFITS

Council says the project, if funded, will not only protect homes and businesses but is a major investment in Hawke’s Bay economic resilience.

The area’s industrial sector – including Pan Pac, Transpower and Contact Energy – is a key employer and contributor to the region’s economy. Ensuring these businesses remain protected is critical for job security and long-term economic stability.

The HBRC project team has assessed alternative approaches, such as installing floodgates or limiting the stopbank to a 1-in-100-year protection level, but these options were found to provide either minimal cost savings or increased risk.

The preferred approach balances cost-efficiency with long-term flood resilience, ensuring Whirinaki remains safe and economically viable.

However, if the application is unsuccessful, the Council will need to reassess the project’s design and affordability, with a further decision brought back to Council for consideration.

Which means Whirinaki residents would wait some more.

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

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