Paekākāriki seawall upgrade gets green light

Kāpiti Coast District Council has given the go ahead for detailed design work and the resource consent application process to proceed on the Paekākāriki seawall upgrade.

The upgrade, which is a major initiative included in council’s long term plan ‘FutureKāpiti, is due to be completed in 2019/20 with construction planned to start in late 2016.

The Paekākāriki Community Board, council staff and a community design group looked at options for upgrading the seawall, taking engineering, ecological, amenity and social factors into consideration. Several options were then presented to residents at a public workshop and their feedback helped determine a preferred option for presenting to council.

The council has given the board’s preferred concept the nod.

“It was great that council and the community worked so well together to ensure the needs of residents were met,” Janet Holborow, Ward Councillor for Paekākāriki, says.

The timber seawall is 20 years past its ‘used by’ date and there is a high risk that, in a big storm, it will fail to protect The Parade along the coast.

The seawall will be upgraded with a combination of concrete, timber and rock to strengthen it at an estimated cost of $10.9 million.

Within the next few months council will begin the procurement process to contract a consultant for detailed designs.  It will also start the resource consent application process with Greater Wellington Regional Council, including associated consultation. 

Council’s long term plan, ‘FutureKāpiti – Long term plan 2015-35’, provides the direction and mandate for all of council’s activities and services, initiatives and projects.