sea wall repair

repair of a sea wall contributing to a BEAUTIFUL safe coastal community space

In the winter of 2018 a basalt sea wall was destroyed at Narrow Neck Beach by a combination of land slip and wave action. Piles of broken rock and fallen trees spread out onto the golden sand, and the steep slopes above were no longer protected from incoming tides. Council had no record of the sea wall on its Property File and so contested the bounding property owner’s ‘existing use right’ to rebuild the wall, to support the hill on which his house was located. This triggered a complex consenting process involving input from multiple specialist consultants.

ACH consultants provided structural design, drainage design, and slope stabilisation and retaining measures to protect the steep slopes above the completed wall, preventing further land slips and ensuring public safety.

Once the requisite Consents were obtained there were further challenges to overcome during the construction phase. Access to the site was only possible via Narrow Neck beach, a popular and busy public area, particularly during the summer months. Additionally, access to the site was only possible during the lower half of the tide, meaning work had to be completed in short bursts and machinery and gear needed to be off site before tides came in.

ACH engineers worked closely with contractors Auckland Stonemasons, the property owner (Council) representative and the Local Board to achieve a positive outcome with the least amount of disruption to beach users. Construction of the sea wall commenced on December 9th and was completed prior to Christmas without incident or any complaints from the public, allowing full beach use for the summer holiday season.

The resulting construction is both robust and aesthetically pleasing, contributing to a beautiful and safe coastal community space.