Mahere whanaketanga hou - tuku manawaroa

All new community planning takes into account natural hazards. To progress any new urban growth area we need to ensure that, based on the information we hold, the proposed new community will be resilient to natural hazards and climate change.

We do this through first mapping the effects of each hazard in the proposed area, and then undertaking risk (likelihood/consequence) assessments based on a range of possible development and hazard susceptibility scenarios. 

This work considers damage to buildings, damage to assets and lifeline utilities, as well as the potential for loss of life. 

Two key urban growth areas are currently being planned under this framework: Te Tumu and Tauriko West. We have been undertaking assessments for both areas, which take into consideration projected sea level rise out to 2130, using 1.6m of sea level rise.

• New community: Te Tumu
• New community: Tauriko West

As a coastal area bounded by a river, Te Tumu is subject to potential natural hazards such as flooding, tsunami and liquefaction. Our planning work will deliver an in-depth understanding of these hazards that will allow us to lessen these risks and deliver a truly resilient coastal community.

Research, modelling and planning for Tauriko West, which sits on the banks of the Wairoa River, focuses mainly on detailed flood modelling including the potential displacement effects on the river of the proposed development.  

These growth areas must deliver on a low level of natural hazard risk over the development period and we will employ a range of avoidance and mitigation methods to ensure this requirement is met.