Hastings District Council says work is advancing quickly on a new artificial reef being built at Te Awanga lagoon to help protect the section of coastline from erosion.
Post Cyclone-Gabrielle, local community members approached Council with concerns about coastal erosion and the impact this was having on the shoreline and properties in the area.
In response, the EcoReef® solution was proposed by Council, at an estimated cost of $800,000.
Hastings Mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst said the project would provide increased protection from the effects of coastal erosion for people living along this stretch of the coast.
“This will also provide greater protection to Hastings District Council assets, such as stormwater infrastructure, that are under threat from the sea opposite the lagoon,” said Mayor Hazlehurst.
The EcoReef® is a system of hexagonal reinforced interlocking concrete modules linked together to form a protection structure, necessary in a demanding sea environment.
The structure is being installed by Lattey Group along a 210-metre stretch of coast and is estimated to take five weeks to build.
Since 2019, Hastings District Council had spent more than $3 million on on-the-ground projects that help protect coastal communities.
The projects include:
- Clifton revetment (sea wall);
- Coastal reserves planting;
- Cape View corner protection;
- Waimārama sea walls (northern and southern);
- Pouhokio Stream outlet – rock wall repair and bolstering.
