Regional councillors unanimously agree to the next steps for Westport Flood Protection Scheme reset

At an Extraordinary Council meeting today West Coast Regional councillors were given an update on the Westport Flood Protection Scheme (WFPS) and voted to approve the next set of actions to progress the reset of the scheme.

The Westport Flood Protection Scheme reset is focused on ways to deliver it in a more affordable way. The costs of the original scheme are now predicted to reach about $70 million, so the project team has worked on ways to reduce that and still deliver a credible scheme.
One tool for doing so is to lower the level of protection to Westport to protect against an approximately 1 in 67-year flood (similar to July 2021) – as opposed to 1 in 100-year previously proposed. The level of freeboard (extra height allowance for uncertainty) would also be reduced from 600mm to 400mm following enhanced computer modelling.

The project reset has financial implications for ratepayers and represents additional debt for WCRC.
In summary, Councillors agreed to:

• A preferred option (Optimised Hybrid Scheme) outlined in the scheme reset
• Move ahead with consultation on the funding approach proposed
• Approve a Special Consultative Procedure on the two options proposed for the revised scheme
• Approve the project team continuing with procurement work, within existing approved funding, until Council considers the scheme next at its 1 December 2026 meeting.
• Note that Carters Beach protection is additional to the reset of the Westport main flood protection but is included in the consultation and rating modelling because the hydraulic modelling makes it a condition of the main scheme progressing.
• Note that the scheme costs can be accommodated within the Council’s net debt to revenue covenant, but expenditure would need to be closely monitored.*

*Read the full recommendations on the WCRC website.

Discussions around the table included managing future debt levels, the difference between the full originally planned scheme and what is proposed now and what is planned for Snodgrass Road.

The two options include funding and flood protection for Carters Beach but don’t currently include Snodgrass Road. The reasoning was shared with councillors who were reassured the project intends to provide flood protection for both areas.

West Coast Regional Council Chief Executive Darryl Lew says Snodgrass Road is not being left out.

“This Special Consultative Procedure includes funding for Carters Beach, as it has interdependencies with the main scheme and must be delivered alongside it. The West Coast Regional Council is committed to providing flood protection for Snodgrass Road and the plan is that it will be delivered at a later date. It is not part of the planned Special Consultative Procedure because our plans for it haven’t changed and it carries no new rates proposition. We have carried out various investigations and have a concept plan which will be consulted on with the community in the future, not at this point.”

“We are pleased that today’s meeting resulted in us having a pathway forward where we can continue working towards sharing more with the community and hearing their views on what is proposed. A lot of work has gone into getting us this far and it is work for Westport and surrounds so that we can deliver on our undertaking to provide flood protection.”

The community will be notified of the dates for the Special Consultative Procedure, once they are finalised.

 -ENDS-

For further information please contact:
Resilient Westport Communications team
media@resilientwestport.co.nz