FEBRUARY
HUI-TANGURU 2020
Draft annual plan commits to extra funding for EB by Carl McRae Hutt City Council’s draft annual plan has been updated to include an additional $15m to the Active Transport – Cycleways project to cover the estimated shortfall in funding for c ycleways, including the Eastern Bays Shared Path. Speaking at the February meeting of the Eastbourne Community Board, HCC Chief Executive officer, Jo Miller, said that the draft plan also proposes deferring the shared path for three years, to enable the consenting process and New Zealand Transport Association’s funding uncertainties to be resolved. An artist's impression of the Windy Point section of the proposed Shared Pathway. “Delay is a good thing,” indicated that it is likely to fund construction those concerns. she said, “pragmatic and realistic. In accordance with the desires of of the Windy Point section. Senior Project Manager, Simon Cager, says the ECB however, Mayor Barry and I shall be ECB chair Ginny Horrocks said board that HCC has always been committed to finding lobbying NZTA hard to get this project pushed members were delighted that the final number suitable ways of protecting penguins during the forward.” of submissions for the pathway reached exactly construction of the pathway and identifying HCC are to fund 51 percent of the proposed 200. safe areas for penguin nesting areas and habitats pathway, allocating $14.2m toward the project “Submissions showed the strength of along the Eastern Bays coast. in its Long Term Plan 2018-2028. Ms Miller community support for the project,” she said, Department of Conservation, Forest and said that realistically, this figure was more like “with photos showing the danger of stretches Bird NZ and the East Harbour Environmental $25 million. of Marine Drive such as Lowry Bay. Association Inc, were all opposed to the project, NZTA has reviewed its planned funding "The project team is now meeting with citing (penguins aside) coastal avifauna, interfor 2018-21 and indicated that its subsidy for those who have raised concerns in submissions tidal ecology, policy, and seagrass as their the construction of the majority of the Eastern to clarify or facilitate resolution of issues raised.” primary objections. Bays Shared Path is unlikely to be funded in The EHEA added amenity, beach access, While support for the project was this current period. overwhelming, opposition was mainly around loss of beach, resilience and seawall design NZTA has continued to fund the design the management of penguins and further among its further objections. and consenting of the entire pathway and has discussions are continuing to work through