Nationally Significant Surf break to be destroyed – For a Cycle Way?
NCTIR are bulldozing through a consent that will build a cycleway around the point break at Mangamaunu within the foreshore and coastal hazard zone, irreparably damaging the surf break and ruining the pristine nature of this protected bay. The consent is being pushed through under the earthquake emergency legislation (Clauses 5-10 of the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Recovery (Coastal Route and Other Matters) Order 2016) that has the purpose to open the road and carry out restoration work. Clearly the road is already open and building a new cycleway is not restoration of any kind but a poorly thought out development that will cause damage to this nationally significant surf break. This is an inappropriate use of the emergency legislation.
Mangamaunu Bay is the only bay or stretch of coast that NCTIR is currently working in which has 5 nationally significant features: It lies within the Kaikoura Whale Sanctuary, contains two protected Mataitais, and one nationally significant surf break as listed in the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement. The Surf break is recognised as a nationally significant Outstanding Natural Feature (ONF) which gives the surf break (and the bay for which it relies upon for its natural processes that define it) the rating of Outstanding Natural Character (ONC).
The Surf Break Protection Society (SPS) is lobbying the Ministers of Transport, Tourism, Conservation, and Environment to withdraw the consent applications, soon to be granted under emergency earthquake legislation and to direct NCTIR to put this consent application through a full RMA process so that the appropriate checks and balances are in place before any work is undertaken. Under the emergency legislation, KDC must approve the consent, however this legislation lapses on the 31st March and from the 1st April onwards, a full RMA process would be required and the national safeguards would be back in place and no adverse impacts would be allowed.
NCTIR’s, (the alliance responsible for re-establishing the Kaikoura road and rail networks) own desktop risk assessment for the new cycleway and supporting seawall at Managamaunu indicates and acknowledges that the risk of adverse effects on the nationally significant surf break is likely, and the risk level, high.
Maungamaunu is one of 17 surf breaks listed in schedule one of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement (NZCPS), and has the highest level of protection possible afforded an outstanding Natural Feature (ONF), where adverse effects must be avoided in their entirety. In 2017 SPS alerted NCTIR to the NZCPS and they are in the full knowledge that under this national policy statement, there is to be no adverse impact on the surfbreak. By knowingly submitting this consent 4 weeks prior to the emergency legislation lapsing, the damage to the surf break from the construction of a revetment to supposedly accommodate a cycleway and “improved” amenity access to the surf break can only be seen as intentional, and is a serious cause for concern.
Any construction of a cycleway within Mangamaunu Bay should occur with the full protections and thorough processes of the RMA which includes wider consultation and community voice. For all intents and purposes it appears as if the emergency earthquake legislation is being mis-used in this consent process to circumvent the Resource Management Act.
Expert advice from Dr Shaw Mead provided to SPS regarding the effects that are likely to occur from the rock revetment is that “Avoiding any works below MHWS” will not mitigate the impacts of the structure on coastal processes during storm events. “All of this will impact negatively on the nationally significant surfing break, with feedback effects such as development of erosion holes and rips unknown..”
Scour and reflection off the proposed revetment to protect this new car par park and cycle way is “likely” to impact adversely on this nationally significant surf break.
The technology does not exist at present to restore a natural break disturbed or damaged by human intervention.
Mangamaunu is a key international tourism asset for Kaikoura and New Zealand, deserving of a much greater respect from NCTIR when considering development options.
“There are only 470 recognised surf breaks in New Zealand, Mangamaunu is one of the best of the best. Influences on surfing wave quality only need to be subtle to degrade a spectacular surf break to a surf break of average quality.. or worse.” Says SPS president Paul Shanks.
In a Feb 4 2018 government press release, New Zealand’s major surf breaks and the impacts of vehicles on beaches are receiving more attention from local authorities because of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010 (NZCPS), new analysis released by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage today shows.
“Surfers can be grateful that protecting surf breaks is now something that councils consider in preparing plans and when resource consents are sought for development work such as dredging,” Ms Sage said.
SPS notes that the NZCPS has been rendered useless by NCTIR under emergency legislation.
Under the emergency legislation there is limited notification and no right of appeal, therefore we urge the ministers to call in the Mangamaunu consent and ensure this nationally significant taonga is protected, not desecrated, by the current NCTIR plan.
ENDS
Links
http://www.surfbreak.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SPS_Ministerial-Letter-Mangamaunu.pdf
https://www.ecan.govt.nz/do-it-online/resource-consents/notifications-and-submissions/current-consent-projects/new-zealand-transport-agency-and-kiwirail-holdings/
(Click on applications, in the drop down menu select; Appendix D – Coastal Assessment (PDF File, 1.86MB)
http://www.surfbreak.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Mangamaunu-Letter-and-Appendices.pdf