Seawall on the cards for Stanmore Bay

Damage to a portion of Stanmore Bay by a severe storm in January has highlighted the vulnerability of the beach itself, as well as the nearby public toilets.

The Hibiscus Coast Local Board is considering building a new seawall at the bay under Auckland Council's Coastal Compartment Management Plan.

The team manager of its coastal management sector, Paul Klinac, said says the Hibiscus Coast Local Board has completed a small extension and rebuild of the existing seawall in the damaged area. It has also shielded the public toilets from severe weather.

Since the storm, Mr Klinac Recent emergency work has cost $100,000, but the local board has not factored in or prepared a budget for a new seawall.

The CCMP, being developed for the area north of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, including Stanmore Bay, will engage the community, stakeholders and mana whenua.

The feedback from the CCMP process will be presented to the local board and will help with the decision whether a permanent seawall is to be built.

There has been no feedback collected regarding the recent remedial work, but when asked about the proposal of a seawall in Stanmore Bay, resident Bartosz Satro said a seawall was a great idea because residents had seen the damage a major storm can cause the bay.

Mr Satro also said people living on the coast and on the cliffs would welcome the idea but for the rest of Stanmore Bay and the larger Whangaparaoa area residents, may not embrace the idea as much, especially if emergency work had already cost ratepayers $100,000.

Hibiscus Coast local board chairperson Julia Parfitt could not be reached.