Plan to relocate Westport to prevent flooding considered

Westport has been repeatedly inundated by flooding since European settlement but that has escalated in recent years. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

A plan is being considered to relocate the flood-prone West Coast town of Westport.

Westport has been repeatedly inundated by flooding since European settlement but that has escalated in recent years.

The Buller River spilled through the town regularly with July 2021's flood particularly devastating.

A draft master plan proposed relocating the town to government-owned Pāmu-Landcorp farmland southwest of its current location.

While such a proposal raised the spectre of managed retreat and caused concern for residents, master planning project lead Paul Zaanen told Buller District Council last week it was a long-term plan.

"This isn't happening next month, it isn't happening next year, but it provides some options for our children to consider in due course," he said, during a briefing to councillors.

The plan was being developed by urban design company Isthmus.

Isthmus landscape architecture principal Helen Kerr said the vast majority supported getting on with the plan and that doing nothing was not an option.

"Creating a plan for Westport's future starts now, not later when it's urgent and there is no alternative," she told the council.

"Delayed action could have the most detrimental effect of all."

Westport had always flooded and would continue to do so with increasing severity, she said.

"Westport is effectively an island in a flood. It is the pinhole where the entire catchment exits at the coast and it carries a greater torrent than any other New Zealand river."

The draft Master Plan sought to relocate the town of Westport to farmland southwest of its current location. Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown

Under the proposal, the government would provide seed funding and the land to a new legal entity to work with private investors to establishment the new settlement.

It would be similar to the Hobsonville land company, in which Housing New Zealand acquired a former Ministry of Defence air force base to create housing in West Auckland.

Many communities were grappling with what Westport was confronted by, but the West Coast community had the advantage of a suitable and safe alternative site nearby.

"The most viable land for development is undeveloped Pāmu estate and it is crown-owned, low intensity and low value, only a kilometre away from Westport and adjoins private land and it allows private investment to contribute to growth," Kerr said.

"The plan envisages capturing and directing future growth to safe land on the other side of the river. Early adopters for a future new town could well be those with strategic importance such as Civil Defence or a school moving to the site or perhaps a destinational facility for events or sports. The community can then see others investing in the place and confidence will grow. Confidence in both public and private investment will grow mutually and the main street will develop to support this. Over time people put down roots in a new safe location. More homes will follow, some moving from Westport to the safer side."

Councillors would decide whether to adopt the Master Plan in April. Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown

It was long-term strategy to be carried out over generations, Zaanen said.

"One of the elements we need to consider is how do we pay for this over time. We are going to need a partnership-based approach to this. This cannot and will not be a ratepayer funded enterprise. I just simply don't think that's achievable."

Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine said importantly, no one would be forced to move.

"It is not as simple as moving the town - in fact that is not what it is about. It is way to look ahead and think how do we go forward knowing what we know about the town's situation," he said.

"No one will ever be forced to move on the basis of this plan, but it will offer people greater choice and opportunity as to what to do in the future. That is 20, 50 and 100 years in the future.

"Many places in New Zealand have developed in an ad hoc way over time based on early colonial settlement decisions - proximity to river, ocean, arable land and, in Westport's case, mining opportunities. Long ago, there wasn't the same awareness of the risk of natural hazards or the ongoing effects of our changing climate.

"Knowing what Westport has already been through in terms of flooding and natural hazards, Buller District Council, with government funding via Resilient Westport, decided it was time to look ahead and see what could be done better."

The plan was still in draft and sessions with residents and ratepayers were held as recently as last week, Zaanen said.

Councillors would be presented with a consultation strategy on 18 December.

"Our engagement plan will outline how we intend to inform the community about what is in the draft and talk to them to hear their thoughts and views. This will help inform the final document, the Master Plan, which we plan to table at Council in April 2025," Zaanen said.

"Note, the word engagement is very important here. Therefore, this isn't a consultation in the formal sense of the word. It is sharing of information and seeking people's input. However, it is likely that there may be some consultation in the future under the Long Term Plan around the final Master Plan document."

Councillors would decide whether to adopt the Master Plan in April.

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