Surfers say plans for Mangamaunu Bay will destroy surf break

Monday, 19 March 2018

An artist's impression of a proposed car park and cycleway at Mangamaunu, north of Kaikōura.

'Malibu of New Zealand' is at risk of being destroyed by a planned cycleway and car park, surfers say.

The NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail had planned to relocate the car park and build a cycleway at popular surf break Mangamaunu Bay, north of Kaikōura.

NZTA and Kiwi Rail propose a cycle way and a car park on the Mangamaunu Bay.

However, NZTA's earthquakes recovery manager Tim Crow said plans for a new northern carpark had been scrapped following concerns raised by surfers.

He said the new cycleway would be 'a new asset to an already amazing coastline' and did not believe it would affect the 'nationally significant' Mangamaunu beach.

The current car park requires pedestrians and surfers to cross the state highway and a railway line to get to the beach.

* Kaikoura earthquake gives surfers a new break

* NCTIR promises controversial Mangamaunu Bay stockpiles will be removed once highway rebuild finishes**

The Surf Break Protection Society has opposed the 'hugely concerning' plans.

Building on the bay would create rips and erosion holes, creating a safety risk for surfers during high tide, Society and Mangamaunu Preservation Society chairwoman Annie Bermingham said.

'We are not saying 'don't go ahead and do this', but we are saying you need to be really careful, protect the bay and be smart. We want the best thinking, the best solution and this is not it.'

NZTA and KiwiRail applied for consent on March 9 under post-quake emergency legislation, which means the plans do not need to be publicly notified. Construction is set to start in six months.

The society has asked the ministries of Transport, Tourism, Conservation and Environment to intervene, so the consent process is publicly notified.

Otherwise, the 'precious place' and the 'Malibu of New Zealand' would be destroyed, Bermingham said.

'When you are there, you are surrounded by green, beautiful hills and you have this wild sea with a big trench. There are often dolphins in the bay. It has a wildness to it and it will be ruined.'

Crow said he hoped the cycleway would be 'commonly' used, with the potential to extend it to Blenheim.

'Our coastal engineer, who's an expert in those things, says all those affects you could be worried about by changing a coastal environment – he believes we've done everything we need to do to ensure the quality of that surf break.'