Revised Westport flood protection project to cost $40 million

A revised Westport flood protection scheme now costing about $40 million is heading to public consultation.

Today, the West Coast Regional Council (WCRC) has decided to consult ratepayers on a revised Westport Flood Protection Scheme that is nearly double the cost of the original project approved by the former Labour government in June 2023.

The crucial flood protection scheme for the town, which was ravaged by floods in 2021 and 2022, is likely to be rescoped due to the budget blowout.

During a public excluded briefing last week, regional councillors were told the scheme needs to be more affordable, given the increased costs and the potential impact on rates.

In a statement yesterday, the council said the options presented today were "a significant variation" from the scheme already approved and consulted with Westport.

"Therefore additional consultation is required."

Work on aspects of the scheme began in early 2024.

"The options represent a funding shortfall of between $22.5m and $23.6m.

"This would need to be rated over coming decades along with the original $10.2m the community was consulted with in 2021," the council said in a statement.

The recommendation to councillors today was to "reset" the project through an "optimised hybrid scheme".

WCRC chief executive Darryl Lew said after the meeting the scheme had to be reset due to cost increases.

A $4m cost overrun was alerted early this month.

The optimised hybrid scheme going to consultation will cost $38.7m -- based on $18.8m of existing funding, leaving a gap of $19.9m.

The scheme potentially meant Westport's ratepayers would have to pay more in rates.

Cr Andy Campbell said people will not be happy about any rate rise due to the reset.

Buller constituent councillor Mark McIntyre pointed out that Snodgrass Road, on the northern edge of Westport, was still excluded under the proposed reset, even though he had organised private funding of $1.8m for both Carters Beach and Snodgrass.

"Snodgrass seems to be like the poor cousin here. It is left out. So, I am wondering where that fits in."

Mr Lew said Carters Beach was the priority, although the council was committed to protecting Snodgrass Road.

"We have to move on Carters now ... we have to get through the consenting and the building and the funding of Carters for the whole scheme to go ahead."

Snodgrass Road would be addressed after Carters Beach.

Mr Lew said although the $1.8m was dedicated for both locations, the funding should go towards Carters Beach.

Cr Allan Birchfield asked whether a $2m adaptation fund included in the original funding could be applied to Snodgrass Road instead.

Mr Lew said the adaptation fund was not allowed to be used to build flood banks and was for properties that cannot be protected through the protection scheme.

"We have to, through this process now, regroup on the exact number of properties that are not protected by the scheme and then revisit through the adaptation fund how we are going to apportion the distribution of that fund," he replied.

WCRC project manager Phil Rossiter said a work programme with tenders for Carters Beach was due in January.

Cr Campbell asked for the likelihood of getting more funding from the Government's Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF).

Mr Lew answered "highly likely".

Cr Chris Coll, of Westport, said he wanted the proposed new design for the flood scheme to be flexible.

"Could we make sure that our specifications on the new design and new layout are going to be adaptive enough so we can actually avoid having to go through another consultative process?"