Seventy-three Pākōwhai properties have had their Category 2C classifications removed, taking the affected areas out of the Government’s Future of Severely Affected Land (FOSAL) framework as main construction advances on Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Flood Resilience Project.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council wrote to affected landowners last week to confirm the decision. The change recognises that the flood protection works underway will reduce the former 2C area’s future risk profile, giving property owners greater confidence while construction continues.
Council Chair, Sophie Siers says the lifting of Category 2C status is an important step for families who have lived with uncertainty since Cyclone Gabrielle.
“The lifting of Category 2C status is a significant milestone for families who have waited patiently for a clear way forward for their properties. The start of construction turns years of planning into visible action and reinforces our commitment to helping this community thrive into the future,” says Cr Siers.
The $50 million project has been designed to meet the regional standard of 1% Annual Exceedance Probability (1% AEP), meaning it is designed to manage a flood event with a one per cent chance of occurring in any given year. The new infrastructure will provide a higher level of flood protection for the former Category 2C area.
Main construction is now under way across a large and technically complex project area. The works include 8.5 kilometres of stopbank and sheet pile flood walls, a 500-metre stream realignment behind Pākōwhai War Memorial Hall, and a 230-metre spillway.
The protection works extend along the Tūtaekurī-Waimate Stream and part of the Waiohiki Drain, stretching from either side of the Hawke’s Bay Expressway to the Ngaruroro River and Links Road.
Councillor, Jerf van Beek says the milestone reflects the patience and resilience of the Pākōwhai community.
“The community has been patient through a long and difficult process. After that journey, people can now see the changes taking shape rather than just hearing about them. It is no longer just modelling, planning, or decision-making – it is action,” says Cr van Beek.
“Residents can see the work taking shape, and that helps rebuild confidence that the community will be better protected and that the difficult lessons of Gabrielle are being taken seriously. For many families, that makes a real difference. It provides reassurance that Pākōwhai remains a place where people can put down roots, invest in their homes, and look ahead with confidence.”
Pākōwhai is the largest project in the Hastings District and the second largest in Hawke’s Bay’s Flood Resilience programme. Chair Siers says the area’s location between the Tūtaekurī and Ngaruroro Rivers makes flood resilience both complex and critical.
“This project has been shaped by updated post-Gabrielle modelling and lessons from the Independent Flood Review, and it is designed to give the community stronger, smarter protection. It is a major investment in safety, confidence, and long-term resilience for the people who live here,” she said.
The project design incorporates updated flood modelling undertaken after Cyclone Gabrielle, along with recommendations from the Hawke’s Bay Independent Flood Review. It has been designed not only to reduce flood risk from events for the 1% AEP standard, but also to improve the area’s resilience during larger flood events and account for the impacts of climate change.
“We are not simply repeating what was in place before Gabrielle. We are investing in infrastructure that reflects the lessons learned and provides stronger protection for future generations,” says Cr Siers.
She says the spillway is a key example of this approach – it provides a way to safely manage floodwater when events exceed the design standard, helping to reduce the consequences of extreme flooding.
Contractor, Hick Bros Civil Construction, began site establishment works in May and has now started earthworks and sheet piling at the Links Road end. Construction will be staged across the project area, with completion expected by July 2027.
Across Hawke’s Bay, the North Island Weather Events (NIWE) programme has reduced the risk profile and enabled post-Cyclone Gabrielle categories to be removed from 282 properties.
“We are seeing real progress across Hawke’s Bay as flood resilience projects move from planning into delivery. We know this has been a long and difficult road for many landowners, and this progress gives affected communities greater confidence as we continue delivering stronger flood protection across Hawke’s Bay,” says Cr Siers.
“Every property removed from Category 2C represents more than a change in status. It represents greater certainty for families, renewed confidence for communities and another step towards a more resilient Hawke’s Bay.”
The project is part of Hawke’s Bay’s wider $256.5 million flood resilience programme, managed by National Infrastructure Funding and Financing (NIFF), which includes Category 2C flood resilience projects, stopbank upgrades, telemetry and pump station upgrades, and reviews of existing flood schemes and management practices.
Funded through a partnership between Central Government and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, with 75 per cent funded through NIFF and 25% by HBRC, the programme represents one of the most significant investments in flood resilience ever undertaken in Hawke’s Bay.
