Marlborough Recovery Update, Friday 21 April 2023
Welcome to the Marlborough Recovery Update bringing youthe latest news on the recovery effort and the support available. Newsletters are now fortnightly and the next is published on Friday 5 May 2023.
To streamline our communication with you, we will, in the future, offer a subscription option, so the newsletter will be emailed directly to you. If you’d like to subscribe sign up.
If you know someone without internet access who is unable to read this update, please ask them to phone Council on Ph: 03 520 7400 and provide their name and postal address. We will ensure a hard copy of the Marlborough Recovery Update is posted to them.
August weather event
The Marlborough recovery continues following the August 2022 weather event.
Thirty one properties in Marlborough have red stickers, 58 yellow and 34 have white due to the damage sustained, which was more extensive and widespread than the July 2021 weather event. For more information see article below.
A day in the life of a recovery navigator by Jessica Donaldson
I joined the recovery team in February and quickly settled into my role, with the rolling green hills and friendly people of Marlborough making me feel very much at home as I’m originally from Northern Ireland.
Every day as a recovery navigator is different. I start work at 8.00 am, check my calendar and respond to any emails and phone calls. Then I grab a coffee and catch up with fellow workers to chat through tasks and priorities for the day.
As a recovery navigator my focus is to ensure people are listened to and connect individuals or whānau to the best people who can help them.
The rest of my day is spent with follow up work from queries, planning for upcoming events and activities and connecting with the social recovery team and/or community groups to create recovery solutions.
To enable me to be the best support I can for this community, I prioritise self-care during my day by taking a break, enjoying my lunch, going for a walk and connecting with my colleagues so that I am re-charged and able to give my full energy to the next query. I also encourage others to prioritise doing things each day that help them relax, make them happy, and allow them to connect to people around them.
Another way I try to improve my ability to support your communities is to develop my knowledge about insurance, land, roading issues, needs of each community and other ways people are impacted by the flooding. This means I have a better understanding of your queries, can provide you with holistic support and have a greater ability to direct you to the right people. I am not an expert but I’m here to connect you to them.
If you have anything you want to discuss in relation to the flooding events, whether it’s a query or just for someone to listen to you - please reach out.
How to deal with a placard
Many properties in Marlborough were placarded following the August 2022 storm event.
A physical placard may not have been placed on your building. Owners with placarded buildings should have received a letter with information about the placard and what to do next.
There are three colours of placards currently in Marlborough from the storm event - white, yellow and red.
What the different coloured placards mean?
A white placard means the building has suffered light or no damage and can be occupied however, it does not necessarily mean the building is safe, as there could be potential damage or risk.
A yellow placard indicates a building may have sustained moderate damage or be at risk, and access is restricted. This generally means some identified areas of the building pose a significant hazard and cannot be used. Owners cannot enter except to remove essential documents, valuables or belongings.
A red placard means the building is dangerous and should not be entered. Red placards indicate a building cannot be used and entry is prohibited because it has sustained moderate or heavy damage and poses a significant risk to health or life. Entry may be permitted after consultation with Council Building Control Group on a case-by-case basis, subject to appropriate supervision.
What to do if your building has a placard
It is the responsibility of the property owner to have their own buildings assessed and talk to their insurance company. Once a detailed assessment has been completed, this information needs to be provided to Council Building Control as evidence should a property owner wish a placard reassessment or removal.
Buildings affected by ground movement, a landslide, or a debris flow
These buildings will normally need a detailed site assessment by a suitably qualified geotechnical engineer or geologist.
For a placard review you need to provide this detailed assessment to Council Building Control. The assessment would need to show evidence and provide a recommendation that the placard in place is able to be revised.
It is important owners understand they are responsible for the safety of their buildings. If your building is dangerous then you must make immediate arrangements to prevent anyone entering or approaching it. Further rain or ground movement may affect the building. If it receives further damage, contact Council Building Control.
Owners must provide evidence to Council Building Control of changes on site.
Some repair work may need a building consent and/or resource consent. Please contact Council for guidance before undertaking repair work.
Go to further information on our website or call Council on Ph: 03 520 7400
Milestones met on storm-damaged Marlborough Roads
Progress has been made repairing Marlborough’s roads following the 2021 and 2022 weather events.
All areas of improved access works have now been completed and a number of committed projects are either finished or underway, Marlborough District Council Transport Recovery Advisor Steve Murrin said.
“Our focus has been on improving the access for residents in the worst affected areas, and it’s pleasing to have this accomplished before winter,” he said.
Tara Bay Road, Te Mahia and Moetapu Bay Roads have had improved access works completed but the status of Kenepuru Road from Linkwater to the Heads and its side roads remains restricted to resident, emergency and essential services access.
A number of the committed projects including the Fish Bay barge ramp in Kenepuru, the Castle Creek and Black Birch Bridge repairs in the Awatere Valley, and the Waihopai Valley Road Realignment have also been completed.
“Work on Noel’s Bridge on Northbank Road and the river revetment at the Limestone Bridge in the Awatere Valley have now been completed. “There is still a lot of work to be done and our current focus is on winter resilience works and completing priority sites.”
In January, two major culverts were completed on the Molesworth end of Awatere Valley Road and on Queen Charlotte Drive, two priority sites have been completed, with a replacement retaining wall at the Picton end and a slope protection wall at Mahikapawa Hill.
Five faults identified on D’Urville Island following the August 2022 weather event were repaired as part of the annual maintenance works on the island.
A full review of the recovery zones has been undertaken and sites identified for maintenance works to provide resilience for winter - crews have already started winter resilience works in the Kenepuru and French Pass areas.
Waka Kotahi funded 95 per cent of the cost of the repairs - about $81M of the $85.3M budget - the second largest local roads recovery project undertaken in New Zealand, surpassed only by the Christchurch earthquakes recovery. There is about $17M remaining to be spent.
Council has submitted a request to Waka Kotahi for a further $52.4M to complete repairs for areas outside the Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study area.
Go to more information on the Initial Recovery Programme
Go to more information on the Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study
New water taxi operators
Kenepuru Water Taxis has a new owner.
Adrian Weatherhead has bought the business from Pete Bigley and Irma van der Linden – both of whom plan to stay on during the transition process to ensure a smooth handover.
Adrian will be familiar to many Sounds folk as he has worked and played in the Marlborough Sounds most of his life. He worked for Johnson's Barge Service for 11 years and has a vast knowledge of the Marlborough Sounds area both on the water and on land.
His contact details are:
Company: Kenepuru Water Taxi 2023 Ltd
Email: kenepuruwatertaxi@gmail.com
www.kenepuru.co.nz
Phone: 0274727200
Pete and Irma would like to thank people for their support.
Calendar
Thursday 11 May 11.00 am Millers Rest Rai Valley: A community event with former police crisis negotiator and motivator Lance Burdett. Further details to come.
Entry is $10 which includes lunch, tea and coffee.
Roading update
In the last fortnight the Marlborough Roads Recovery Team has continued to progress through the initial recovery programme working on priority sites and winter resilience works.
In the French Pass area, winter maintenance works on Opouri, Archers and Duncan Bay Roads have been completed. This week, crews have commenced removing spoil and debris from the Ronga Road slip site, 5.5km from the SH6 turnoff.
In the Kenepuru area, interim works to stabilise the northern section of Watertank slip on Kenepuru Road were completed this week. Laying metal and grader works are continuing in the Crail, Elie Bay and Hopai Bay areas, weather permitting.
In May, works to install 30 culverts on Kenepuru Road will be undertaken - daytime construction closures will be required for some of these works.
On Queen Charlotte Drive, works have started to repair a roadside scour at the Havelock Causeway site, 200m from the SH6 turnoff near Havelock.
Winter maintenance works are also being carried out on Anakiwa Road and Queen Charlotte Drive this week.
Information
To check the status of any local road in Marlborough visit Marlborough District Council’s CDEM Map and click on the road for more information.
To contact the Marlborough Roads Recovery Team phone 0800 213 213 between 8.00 am - 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday or email recovery@marlboroughroads.com.