Waikato district

The sand dunes at the popular holiday spot on the North Island's West Coast are being pummelled from both the ocean and the rain.

“The intention of this is for sand to be tipped over the edge to try and slow down erosion,” Ebenhoh said. There had been about 60 car spaces, and now only 25 remained. This has been discussed by the Port Waikato Resilience Group – a combination of local residents, Waikato District Council and Waikato Regional Council representatives – and was undergoing technical review prior to any application for resource consent. And other locals were nervous too. “We are also clearing debris and asphalt that has slipped down on to the beach from the car park.” He said the council was preparing a resource consent application, to be lodged by Sunset Beach Lifeguard Service, to allow, if approved, for up to 1000m3 of sand to be pushed up against the dune face, in an attempt to slow down erosion. About 90 sandbags, stretching about 80m, were being put in to try and limit the run-off from rain going over the edge of the car park. Waikato District Council planning and policy manager Jim Ebenhoh said the car park had been moved five metres inland, and council had cut and removed the asphalt back to the new line of fence to try and prevent it falling onto the beach. The Waikato District Council was putting sandbags on the car park to channel the water away from the car park’s steep edge as a temporary solution. If the erosion continued and the sea made it to the new building, the whole community and its roads would be at risk, Beattie said. Five metres of the car park was lost – which was a whole row of parking spaces. But this time it was the water from heavy rain surging over the edge of Sunset Beach’s raised car park that caused chunks of tarseal to break off, Sunset Beach surf life-saving club president Malcolm Beattie said.