Stormwater Pipe on Sloanes Beach

An Update

Background. In 2006, the Auckland City Council (ACC) submitted an application to the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) seeking a Resource Consent to construct a new Stormwater Outfall on Sloanes Beach.

Submissions. Many local residents made submissions opposing this pipe. These efforts have had a real effect:

• The ARC decided to handle this application directly, instead of leaving it in the hands of consultants.
• The ACC put the application on hold pending a full review of the options.
• The ACC’s design engineers visited the site and met with a number of local residents.
• A number of productive meetings were held with the engineers to explore alternative options.

Alternative Options. It is now recognised that important alternative options need consideration. For example, instead of concentrating all the flows at Sloane’s Beach, we believe better use could be made of existing outfalls on Bella Vista and Marine Parade. These discharge onto the rocky foreshore, well away from swimming areas. Modern pipe refurbishment and/or thrusting techniques would minimise the disturbance caused by upgrading these.

Next Steps. We are currently awaiting the results of the review, at which stage important decisions will need to be made. If you’d like to be involved in this process, or kept informed about developments, please contact Andrew Mason on 021 884 673, email pipe@hbcc.net.nz, or visit www.hbcc.net.nz.

Further Information. Click here to view our initial response to this proposal.

Prepared by the Herne Bay Cruising Club; 4/7/2006,
pipe@hbcc.net.nz; Andrew Mason 021 884 673