Orewa seawall and walkway opens after decade-long effort
A new seawall and walkway has opened along the Ōrewa beachfront, providing protection from erosion and increased access to residents and visitors.
The 600m-long structure, between Marine View and Kohu St at the northern end of the beach, has taken a decade to come to fruition since approval of the design by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board in 2016.
Resource consent was granted in 2020, after challenges in the Environment Court, and construction was started in 2024.
“This project is vital for protecting the taonga that is Ōrewa Beach and its foreshore,” ward councillor Victoria Short said at the opening this month.
“It will safeguard the beach now and for years to come so it can continue to be enjoyed by locals and visitors from far and wide.
Ōrewa Beach reserve eroded by heavy seas after a heavy night of wind and rain from Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Ōrewa has been subject to erosion during storm events, with the council forced to replenish lost sand to protect properties along the beachfront for several decades, costing tens of thousands of dollars each time.
It is hoped the seawall will negate the need for continuing renourishment on the increasingly popular beach.
“It’s important to recognise this is a unique solution for a specific part of the coastline,” former board chairwoman and current board member Julia Parfitt said.
“Projects like this are extremely expensive, aren’t easy to deliver, and can’t simply be replicated elsewhere, so we need to take a site-by-site approach to managing coastal erosion.
“The local board of the day recognised the rate that erosion was occurring meant there would be no reserve land left to achieve a walking connection for all abilities.”
The $21.6 million seawall and shared pathway also includes planting, lighting, ramps, and stairs and seeks to minimise impact on existing vegetation and to protect pōhutukawa trees at threat from erosion.
The design sought to reduce the environmental footprint with locally-sourced, hand-shaped basalt for the seawall anchored with a low-carbon cement that supports performance and durability.
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