Council progress

Design-with-nature approach

This design-with-nature approach taken by the City Council is the culmination of a long and detailed series of investigations and proposals carried out and debated in detail by the Council, with the help of Marine Engineers OCEL Consultants and a panel of experts on coastal processes brought together by NIWA in 2002.

OCEL's recommendation was adopted by the Council in December 2002. Use this link to find out how they have diverted the existing stormwater outfall away from the eastern end of the main beach into a culvert that takes the water some 170 metres to the north-east alongside Rocks Road.

This works with nature rather than fighting the forces of the waves. The natural movement of sand between the beach and the dunes is not interrupted by hard protection works, and the valued natural character of the beach is protected.

Reserve Management Plan

The Tahunanui Reserve Management Plan was adopted in April 2004 and can be downloaded from the Council's website.

That document was the product of a very thorough study of the beach and the forces that have moulded it. It identified coastal erosion as a major determinant of use and development of the reserve.

The Management Plan objectives include:

• to manage and plan for the effects of coastal erosion and enhance the natural healing power of the fore-dunes and
• to reduce the adverse effects of activities that exacerbate dune erosion.

• limit investment in existing and new assets on potentially threatened sites,
• consider hard protection works along the eastern beach and fore-dunes only if a number of significant assets such as the car park, playing fields and built facilities are threatened, and
• Consider the construction of further protection works in the Rocks Road car park area if existing measures are unsuccessful

Coast Care programme