A local community engagement process for people impacted by the Government’s Land Categorisation following Cyclone Gabrielle is underway.

An independent review of the provisional land categorisation data is now complete, with the provisional data now assured following a robust independent review process.

Most of Wairoa’s North Clyde residential area and along the Frasertown Road remains provisionally categorised as 2A with small pockets of 2P category land near Frasertown. Around 100 previous provisional categorisations have been amended or removed.

All property categorisations are provisional until the engagement process has been completed.

Wairoa has been identified as a priority for flood mitigation investment. By categorising most of the flood-affected areas of Wairoa township as 2A, a full range of mitigation approaches can be explored. Wairoa’s flood risk relates to the lower area of the Wairoa River where the town is located, as the awa looks to ‘cut off’ a loop in the river just to the northwest of the town when in flood, running through North Clyde as it finds its way back to the river.

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and its predecessor Catchment Board have considered flood protection options for Wairoa in the past, focussing on the formation of secondary flow paths and/or stop-banking to protect the town.

Land categorisation community engagement hui will continue over the next few weeks and whānau who are directly affected are encouraged to attend.

Photo: Wairoa’s provisional Land Category map.

29 June 2023

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