Waiohine River Floodplain Management Plan submissions received

Over 100 submissions have been received by Greater Wellington Regional Council on the draft Waiohine River Floodplain Management Plan (FMP) to provide protection from flood risk and erosion for urban and rural communities in the central Wairarapa valley.  The wider Waiohine River community was asked for feedback at public events, via post and on-line over a six week period ending mid-July. Submissions will be considered at a two day public hearing at the end of August.

"We are proud of this FMP process and pleased to see a good number of submissions put forward at the end of a detailed discussion with the central Wairarapa valley communities.  There are no straightforward solutions.  It has been a long process to develop a draft FMP that the local Advisory Committee was happy to put out for public submissions," says Graeme Campbell, GWRC Manager Flood Protection. 

"Many of the submissions ask about costs and who should pay for what.  Current Council policy is for half the costs to be contributed from the wider region with the other half being a local share. Another issue that people feel strongly about is the impact of the proposed Greytown stopbank and how the effects on people's property will be mitigated.  These questions will be important for the hearing panel to consider."

Regional Councils have a statutory obligation to manage flood risk and GWRC does this through Floodplain Management Plans across the greater Wellington region. Throughout the most recent round of non-statutory consultation for the Waiohine River FMP GWRC has stood firm in its position that if the local community does not support the draft FMP it will not be forced on the community.  

ENDS

Contact: Media phone: 021 914 266