Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley Background Report Part 6

PART 6
Social and Economic Wellbeing PAGE 150
PAGE 151
6 COMMUNITY SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC WELLBEING
The WRHA Act identifies in Section 7 ‘National significance and Heritage Features of the
Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area’ :
•
Section 7(2)(l): its distinctive local communities:
Section 25 of the WRHA Act provides for Local Area Plans, and states the purpose of a LAP.
The relevant sections are as follows:
Section 2(a) promote the purpose of this Act and the objectives; and
Section 2(b) provide objectives (particularly long-term objectives) in relation to—
(ii) the well-being of the local community within that area (including its
economic and social wellbeing); …
Section 8 of the WRHA Act sets out the objectives of establishing and maintaining the
heritage area. The relevant part is:
(i) to recognise that people live and work in the area in distinct communities,
and to enable those people to provide for their social, economic, … wellbeing:
In addition, Section 25(4) of the WRHA Act states:
A LAP may identify issues relating to the provision of future services in the
local area to which the LAP applies.
The West Coast Plan goal three - ‘Communities’ is:
‘Communities that are strongly connected to their natural environment and are
unique and diverse’.
A number of West Coast Plan targets designed to meet this goal are relevant:
Target Nine
Target Ten
Target Eleven
Target Twelve
Target Thirteen
Target Fourteen
Target Fifteen
Target Sixteen
Pedestrian movement is encouraged
Transport options are available that limit impact on the
surrounding environments
Communities have a place to gather
Foster community spirit through community events and
activities
Enable people to work in their communities, provided that the
environmental effects are minimised
Communities are safe and supportive
Communities are empowered, resourced and supported to
participate in local decision-making
Lifeguarding, ranger and emergency services meet the
needs of the community and are effective and adequately
resourced.
This section outlines the social and economic characteristics and resources for social and
economic wellbeing of the community, highlighting issues that may impact on the social and
economic wellbeing of the community.
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6.1
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS
Section 7(2)(l) of the WRHA Act identifies the “distinctive local communities” of the Heritage
Area as an important feature. Distinctive communities relate to an individual’s or
community’s sense of belonging to an area or locality, can be readily identified and typically
have;
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A dependence on shared facilities in an area, including schools, recreational, and
cultural facilities; and
A physical and topographical coherence; and
Local history; and
Common amenity and landscape.
Area
The following community statistics
for the Bethells/ Te Henga/
Waitakere Valley area are based
on Statistics New Zealand 2006
Census information for four
complete meshblocks and part of
a fifth meshblock (which is shared
with Anzac Valley) which in total
form an area of around 4,236
hectares (refer Figure 52).
Population
Bethells/Te Henga/ Waitakere
Valley is the largest of the local
areas in terms of population
Figure 52: Statistics New Zealand Meshblocks 2006 within the Bethells/ Te
Henga/ Waitakere Valley Study Area
numbers. It has 783 normally
resident individuals. Between the
2001 and 2006 Census period Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley experienced a small
population increase of 21 residents (3%).
Dwellings
There are a total of 285 occupied dwellings, within the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley
area, and a further 57 dwellings which are unoccupied (17% of all dwellings), making a total
of 342. It is likely that a number of these dwellings are seasonal holiday homes or those
used primarily at weekends.
Households
The average household size is 2.75 people, which is lower than the city average of 2.99.
Although the highest percentage of households in the area consists of two people, there are
also higher numbers of households with either one to three, or five usual residents compared
with city averages. Of the coastal catchments, Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley has the
lowest proportion of four person households and highest levels of five and six person
households.
Size of dwellings
Compared with city averages, there are higher levels of dwellings with one and two
bedrooms and lower levels with three and four bedroom dwellings in the Bethells/ Te Henga/
Waitakere Valley area. The levels of dwellings with five+ bedrooms are similar.
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Home ownership
Just over half (54%) of the homes in the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area are
owned by the usual resident, while 15% are held in trust by the usual resident. Home
ownership and dwellings held in a trust are higher than for the city as a whole. Rental
properties make up 24% of the housing stock.
Age
The median age level of residents in the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area is 36
years. The most prominent age groups are 40 – 59 year olds (37%) which is significantly
higher than for the city as a whole (26%). Of children aged less than 15 years, 0 – 5 and 10
-14 year olds form the largest group, being slightly higher than the city average. The lowest
levels are 59 – 60 year olds (2%), while the percentage aged 65+ years (5%) is significantly
lower than the city average (9%).
Ethnicity
Compared with the city averages, Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley has significantly
higher levels of individuals who describe their ethnicity as European and significantly lower
levels of Pacific Island peoples and Asians. Levels of Maori however are the same as the
city average.
Families
When compared with the city overall, there are slightly higher levels of couples without
children and couples with children in the area, whilst there are much lower levels of one
parent families. Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley has the lowest levels of all the coastal
catchments of couples without children and one parent families
Education
Significantly fewer people in Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley have no qualifications
(13%), compared with the city as a whole, and there are significantly higher numbers of
people with Bachelor Degrees or Level 7 qualifications (14%).
Employment
The largest employment group for residents is ‘professionals’ followed by ‘managers’,
‘clerical/administration’ and ‘sales’ workers. Compared with the other coastal settlements,
Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley, along with Cornwallis, has the lowest level of residents
in managerial roles. Around 12% (51) of Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley residents work
from home.
Income
The personal, family and household incomes for residents who live in the
Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley area are all significantly higher than city wide averages.
Community statistics for the lower valley
The lower valley, including the Te Henga Coastal Village and the settlement in Tasman View
Road, lower Bethells Road and Te Aute Ridge Road West, as shown in Figure 53 below,
has around 44% of the population of the local area. Some statistics from the 2006 Census
of Population and Dwellings, are as follows:
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Figure 53: Lower Waitakere Valley
Population: 348
Population 5-14yrs: 39 (11%)
Population 65+: 24 (7%)
Occupied Dwellings: 144
Unoccupied Dwellings: 42
(23%)
Total Dwellings: 186
Area: 722 ha
6.2
FUTURE POPULATION AND DWELLINGS
6.2.1 Potential for more houses/ people under the existing rules
Section 8, ‘Objectives’ of the WRHA Act include:
(e) to recognise that, in protecting the heritage features, the area has little capacity to
absorb further subdivision:
(f) to ensure that any subdivision or development in the area, of itself or in respect of
its cumulative effect,—
(i) is of an appropriate character, scale, and intensity; and
(ii) does not adversely affect the heritage features; and
(iii) does not contribute to urban sprawl:
In most zones in the study area, the District Plan currently provides for one house per site,
and under certain circumstances, a ‘minor household unit’. New houses in the area could
therefore only be constructed:
• On currently vacant sites, or
• New minor household units ancillary to an existing house (in accordance with the
District Plan), or
• On sites created through new subdivision that is either part of one of the Large
Property Management Areas or meets all of the relevant subdivision provisions of
the District Plan.
The exception is the marae Special Area at Te Henga, which allows housing as a permitted
activity subject to some provisions such as the Natural Area Rules.
There are currently quite a number of large-size properties in the area, as indicated on the
map at Figure 54.
40
In 2008 the ARC undertook a region wide growth capacity study to calculate the potential
for growth (dwellings and population) in the Auckland Region under current planning
provisions as at March 2006 (being both Census night and the date of the latest available
41,
aerial photography). This study included an assessment of both vacant sites and of new
40
http://www.arc.govt.nz/auckland/aucklands-growth/capacity-for-growth-study-2008.cfm
Vacant sites are land parcels with an individual Certificate of Title, where there is no known dwelling on the
site.
41
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42
lots that could be created under the existing subdivision rules . WCC has recalculated the
subdivision potential (based on parcel area, not Certificate of Title) for the Ranges area due
to some errors in the subdivision assumptions used in the ARC study. This data is shown on
the map at Figure 55.
Figure 54: Size of Properties
Figure 55 Vacant sites and Potential new Lots
42
Subdivision that could occur at the lowest possible consent category applying under the operative District
Plan provisions, on each individual Certificate of Title.
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6.2.1.1 Subdivision
It is likely that there will be very little more, if any, subdivision in the Bethells/ Te Henga/
Waitakere Valley area in the future, due to the combination of the stringent District Plan
subdivision rules (refer Figure 42) and the provisions of the WRHA Act 2008, put in place to
protect the significant and outstanding natural values of the heritage area. Because there is
a particular concentration of outstanding natural values and heritage features in the Bethells/
Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley, any new subdivision application falling outside what is
considered appropriate by the District Plan, is very likely to be declined. In the Bush Living
and Waitakere Ranges Environments, such applications are a prohibited activity.
This section considers only the potential for more subdivision under the existing rules as
they now stand. Subdivision potential is only considered to be available where subdivision
could be created at the lowest (or easiest) possible consent category in the District Plan. For
the Bush Living and Waitakere Ranges Environment the ‘easiest’ possible consent category
is Discretionary. In these zones, assessment of whether or not a subdivision application is a
discretionary activity is based on interrelationships between a minimum site area, the
‘Natural Area’, vegetation cover, streams and suitable building platforms. For example, no
subdivision is provided for in the Protected, Coastal or Riparian Margins Natural Areas. Any
subdivision application in the Bush Living Environment which is not a discretionary activity is
a prohibited activity and application cannot be made. In the Waitakere Ranges Environment,
any subdivision that is not a discretionary activity or a non-complying activity is a prohibited
activity.
Thus, although the minimum site size in the Waitakere Ranges Environment is 4 hectares,
and there are quite a number of sites in the Waitakere Ranges Environment in excess of 8
hectares (refer Figure 54), it has been assessed that there is the potential for only 5 sites to
be created under the existing subdivision rules, from two existing large sites located in Te
Aute Ridge Road East, that is, 3 new sites in addition to the 2 existing sites. These are
marked on the map at Figure 55.
6.2.1.2 Large Property Management Areas
In addition, there are three properties located in the lower valley – the ‘Wainamu’ and ‘Te
Henga’ properties and the Bethells property (refer Figure 43), which, because of their size
and significant natural values, have been included in the District Plan as ‘Large Property
Management Areas’ (LPMA), subject to a site specific appraisal. Ten additional lots can be
created on these properties under the provisions of the LPMA (refer Figure 56).
6.2.1.3 Vacant sites
Vacant residential sites (without a house) may be anticipated to be built on at some time in
the future. In the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area, there were 35 vacant sites
(that could be built on) at the time of the study in 2006. These are marked on the map at
Figure 55 and are distributed as follows:
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2
11
5
3
2
12
35
Vacant sites
Adjacent to Large property Management Areas
Tasman View Road
Te Aute Ridge Road/ Kokako Grove
Bethells Road
Long Road
Te Henga Road
Total
Note that some of these vacant properties could have been built on in the intervening four
years since 2006.
It is interesting to note the history43 behind the small vacant site adjacent to the Bethell’s
property (the southern-most site labelled ‘1’ within the study area in Figure 55). This lot was
originally surveyed off to protect the last remaining large kauri tree in the area. However, a
storm that came through in the 1940s, bringing very strong winds and (extremely rare) snow,
took the top off quite a number of the large trees in the area, including the kauri. The tree
was badly damaged and was removed soon afterwards.
6.2.1.4 Total sites for new houses
Excluding any new minor household units, the total provision of sites for new houses in the
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area is estimated as 48, as set out in Figure 56.
Figure 56:
Total sites for new houses in Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley
New sites from subdivision
Vacant sites
Large Property Management Areas
Total
3
35
10
48
6.2.2 Population Projections
The smallest geographic unit for which subnational population projections are provided
by Statistics New Zealand is the Census
Area Unit (CAU).
Due to the low population density and
scattered settlement pattern of the
Waitakere Ranges, the CAU within which
the Bethells/Te Henga Area falls is the very
large Karekare CAU, covering an area from
Scenic Drive in the east to Whatipu in the
south and Bethells Beach in the north. The
northern boundary of this CAU follows the
Rodney District/ Waitakere City boundary,
generally along the Waitakere River (refer
Figure 57).
43
Figure 57 Extent of Karekare Census Area Unit Boundary
2006
Personal communication with Ross Bethell, 2006 (Kyle Balderston)
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Three population projections are commonly used, being low, medium and high growth rate
projections. These are all based on a variety of assumptions at the national level regarding
net migration (internal and external) and natural increase44.
The Statistics NZ projections are also tempered by the existing demographic situation,
particularly the assumed fertility rate, ethnicity and age of the presently resident population45,
and by past growth rates and future growth expectations. For example, areas identified for
urban development will have a high growth rate (from both internal and external migration)
reflecting land use planning assumptions.
For the Waitakere Ranges generally, the population is generally older with fewer children
and couples of child bearing age than Auckland or the rest of Waitakere, and so has a low
natural increase potential. The rural and coastal parts of the Ranges are also subject to
stringent development controls, but are also very desirable places to live – a low migration
factor is therefore generally applied.
These things taken together mean that the projected rates of growth in the population for the
Karekare CAU will be generally lower than the growth rate expected for the rest of the
Auckland Region or Waitakere.
The Statistics New Zealand ‘medium growth’ projections for the Karekare CAU are set out at
Figure 58. These show an approximately 7% increase in each of the five-year intercensal
periods until 2031. As with any projections of this nature they are impacted upon by a
number of factors which can alter their significance, so the numbers should be treated as a
guide. In addition, they are ‘top down’ projections, which take little account of local factors
such as the lack of availability of sites for new development.
Figure 58
Statistics New Zealand Karekare Census Area Unit
Population Projections and Percentage Increase from the 2006 Census Population (in brackets) #
Population
projection
2006*
2570
Population
projection 2011
Population
projection 2016
Population
projection 2021
Population
projection 2026
2750
(7%)
2930
(14%)
3110
(21%)
3290
(28%)
Population
projection
2031
3460
(35%)
*For population projections, the base figure for 2006 differs from the actual population at 2006
#
Medium growth rate population projection (from 2006 base)
Figure 59
Karekare Census Area Unit and Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley
Population Change 1996-2006
2466
Percentage
change
1996-2001
3.5%
Percentage
change
2001-2006
3%
783
12%
3%
Census
1996
Census
2001
Census
2006
Karekare Census Area Unit
2316
2397
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley
682
762
44
The difference between births and deaths.
For example, a CAU with a high proportion of 18-30 year old couples or females will have a higher
population growth rate (from natural increase) than a CAU with a high proportion of 50+ people, all other things
being equal).
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The resident populations for both the Karekare CAU and for Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere
Valley at the 1996, 2001 and 2006 census dates are set out in Figure 59, together with the
percentage population increases for the past two intercensal periods. The percentage
change between the census dates has been, in general, relatively low, around 3%, although
the sharp rise (12%) in the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area over the period 1996
– 2001 was partly due to subdivision of a number of the larger properties.
Excluding any new minor household units, the total provision of sites for new houses in the
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area is estimated as 48 (refer Figure 56). At the
average household occupancy for the study area of 2.75 people per household, these 48
potential new houses would be sufficient for another 132 people.
If, as projected by Statistics New Zealand for the entire Karekare CAU, the population
growth in the study area does average 7%, then these 48 potential new houses would be
sufficient for the projected population growth until shortly following the 2016 census.
However, given past population growth, it is considered unlikely that future intercensal
population growth will average 7% as projected. If population growth averages, say, 3.5%
over each of the coming five year census periods, it is calculated that there will be sufficient
provision for new housing in the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area until some time
after 2026.
It needs to be recognised that, in this very environmentally sensitive area, it is not fitting to
plan for perpetual population/ housing growth. The provisions of the WRHA Act in place
since 2008, directs in Section 8(e) that, in protecting the heritage features, the area has little
capacity to absorb further subdivision, and the stringent District Plan subdivision regime
reflects this concern with protecting the natural heritage features. At some stage in the not
too distant future, there will be no more capacity for further houses under the existing regime
in the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley, and if the heritage features of the area are to be
protected, this is entirely appropriate.
6.2.3 Conclusion
The demographics for the community of
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley differ
from those for Waitakere City as a whole.
Compared with the city as a whole, people in
this community tend to be, on average, older
and more highly educated, with a higher
annual income and a large number employed
as professionals. The area has a higher rate
of home ownership and dwellings held in
trust, and there are more couples without
children and fewer one-parent families than in the city as a whole.
When the potential for more subdivided sites (permitted under the existing rules) is
combined with the number of vacant sites in the study area, a total capacity for
approximately 40 new dwellings (say 112 new residents) is arrived at. The Bethells/ Te
Henga/ Waitakere Valley currently contains approximately 342 dwellings and 783 residents.
In addition, some potential still exists in the study area for growth through Minor Household
Units on existing sites. If population growth averages, say, 3.5% over each of the coming
five year census periods, it is calculated that there will be sufficient provision for new housing
in the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area until some time after 2026. Beyond that
time, the area will be constrained in its ability to provide more living opportunities without
significantly compromising the outstanding natural values and heritage features.
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6.3
COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND EVENTS
This section outlines the resources and services available in the study area to meet the
social and economic needs of the community.
6.3.1 Meeting/ gathering venues
There are limited facilities within the Bethells/Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area where
meetings and gatherings can be held.
Bethells Beach Surf Lifesaving Clubhouse – For hire
to groups.
Bethells Valley Rural Fire Station- First Response
and Civil Defence centre. Limited capacity as a local
meeting space.
Waitakere Golf Club clubrooms - Has rooms for hire
for events
Aio Wira Retreat Centre
257 Bethells Road
Karanga Camp – a venue for hire
Bethells Beach Café – An outdoor gathering place
for the community, especially on Friday evenings in
summer.
Te Henga Road
Bethells Beach
106 Bethells Road
35 Falls Road
8 Aio Wira Road
Bethells Beach
The principal facility is the Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving Club house at Bethells
Beach.The club is available for hire to local community groups and individuals, as well as
commercial use, however availability during the summer period is more limited. The facilities
at the club house include 2 bunk rooms capable of sleeping 10 each, a kitchen and showers
and toilets.
Bethells Rural Fire Station
The Bethells Rural Fire Station is
located at the corner of Bethells
Road and Te Aute Ridge Road
on Council owned land. It
provides some limited capacity
as a local meeting space.
Waitakere Golf Club in Falls
Road has rooms for hire for
community events
Meeting places are limited in
size,
and
sometimes
in
availability.
The proposed
marae at Te Henga Coastal
Village has the potential to
provide a larger meeting place.
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6.3.2 Early childhood facilities and schools
There are no early childhood facilities or schools located in the Bethell/Te Henga/ Waitakere
Valley area. The nearest early childhood facilities are located in Waitakere Township or
Swanson.
As shown in Figure 60, primary school aged children mainly attend Waitakere Primary
School with some going on to Swanson Primary School. Most high school aged children
attend Waitakere College, Liston College or Massey High School. A daily school bus
operates during term time from the Te Henga Coastal Village along Bethells Road to these
schools.
Figure 60
Schools attended
Bethells/ Te Henga & Waitakere Valley
Primary and Intermediate Schools
Waitakere School
Swanson School
Newton Central School
Rangeview Intermediate
Secondary Schools
Massey High School
Waitakere College
Liston College
Marist College
St Peter's College (Epsom)
Western Springs College
Total
24
2
1
1
53%
4%
2%
2%
11
2
1
1
1
1
45
24%
4%
2%
2%
2%
2%
The Waitakere Primary School in nearby Waitakere Township draws its roll mainly from
Bethells Beach, Waitakere Valley, Anzac Valley and the Waitakere Township. Figure 61
shows the enrolment home zone of the Waitakere Primary School.
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Figure 61 Waitakere Primary School Enrolment Home Zone
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6.3.3 Local Groups and Organisations
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley has an extremely active community, with many local
groups, as listed below. The number of groups formed to restore/enhance the environment
is an indicator of the passion and commitment of many local (and non-local) people to this
area.
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Bethells Beach Surf Lifesaving Club
(formed 1964)
Bethells Rural Fire Force
Waitakere Golf Club (first registered 1948)
Bethells/Te Henga Community Group
Ark in the Park
Bethells/Te Henga Beach Care Group
Waitakere Rivercare Group (formed 1998)
Waitakere Quarry Consultative Committee
Waitakere Primary School Runanga Group
Ladies a Plate
Bethells Casters and Anglers Club
Bethells Beach Boys Book Club
Bethells Junior surf programme
As well as the local groups and organisations in this list, a number of members of the
community are very active in regional and national environmental organisations such as the
Royal Forest and Bird Society, the Environmental Defence Society and the Waitakere
Ranges Protection Society (formed in response to Waitemata City Council attempts to
establish a landfill in ‘Ducks Quarry’ (now Stony Creek) in the upper reaches of the
Waitakere Valley).
6.3.4 Events
Bethells Community Day
The Bethells/ Te Henga Community Group organises an annual community day, generally in
January or February, at the beach domain. This popular community day encompasses a
distance running /walking competition, music, display/ sale of local art work, stalls and
information tents, and a water slide and talent quest for youngsters.
Bethells Community Day 2010
Photo: Matt Heale
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Winter Film Evenings
The Bethells/ Te Henga Community Group also organises the annual month-long ‘winter film
evenings’, held in the surf club on Friday evenings, generally during June.
Matariki
Matariki is now an annual event at the Waitakere Primary School organised by the Te
Runanga o Waitakere Primary.
Guy Fawkes at the Beach
An annual bonfire on the nearest Saturday night to November 5th is organised by the
Bethells Beach Volunteer Rural Fire Force, to provide a safe site for community firework
displays.
6.3.5 Conclusion
Spaces for small gatherings/meetings are available in the surf club, fire station and golf club
(if not being used by the club) and at Aio Wira, while the Bethells café is often used for
informal community gatherings during summer. These venues have limited space available
and are not suitable for larger meetings. The Te Henga marae development may provide an
opportunity for a bigger area for community meetings.
The Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area has a wealth of local groups and
organisations, and a number of annual events are organised locally. However, people must
travel out of the area for early childhood facilities and schools.
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6.4
EMPLOYMENT AND BUSINESS
This section outlines the main business activities in Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley,
which contribute to the economic wellbeing of the community. It then goes on to summarise
the implications for the study area of a recent report on the types of economic and non
residential activities that could be appropriate in the Heritage Area to support the economic
and social wellbeing of the communities in the Heritage Area.
6.4.1 Current Economic Activity
The current policies and rules of the District Plan essentially provide only for the following
types of non-residential activities:
• Horticulture
• Agriculture
• Screen production – by consents issued for filming
• Home occupations within existing buildings.
Proposed Plan Change 36 was initiated in February 2010 to support opportunities for the
establishment of a very limited range of non-residential activities on privately-owned land in
the Heritage Area. The plan change has most affect within the rural areas of the foothills,
and is very limited in its application to the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area. In the
coastal village, the plan change clarifies existing rules for home occupations such as smallscale guest accommodation. It also establishes rules for filming, for managing any additions
to an existing business or community facility, and for establishing food restaurants and arts
and crafts sales.
There are a small number of businesses operating within Bethells/Te Henga/ Waitakere
Valley area offering local employment. The list below shows that, with some exceptions such
as quarrying, businesses are mainly home based. They broadly fall into the following
categories; food production, holiday accommodation, personal and trade services and
computer software developers. Around 12% of the population of Bethells/Te Henga/
Waitakere Valley works from home.
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Businesses that operate within the
Bethells/Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley LAP area*
Ambient Design Ltd – Computer Software
Audio Tec Ltd - Telecommunications
Capricorn Furniture – Furniture manufactures
Seagulls Rest - Holiday/B&B accommodation
Bush Sand and Sea – Holiday/B&B accommodation
Bethell-Paice T J - Bethells Beach Cottages
Weddings/accommodation
Karanga – Group/ Cabin accommodation
A Taste of Nature (Puhoi Pantry Ltd ) – Food Production
Bethells Beach Store and Café – Takeaway Food
(Removable caravan, Fri/Sat/Sun and summer)
Waitakere Golf Club Inc
Kauri Glen Services - Builders
Te Henga Road Quarry – Road metal quarry
Bethells Farmstay for Dogs – Dog kennels
Signal Gallery
*It is acknowledged that this may not be a complete list
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87 Bethells Road
Bethells Beach
133 Bethells Road
248 Bethells Road
26 Te Aute Ridge
267 Bethells Road
Te Henga Road
92 Bethells Road
Bethells Beach Car Park
35 Falls Road
15 Long Road
99 Te Henga Road
112 Te Henga Road
Bethells Road
Filming
Areas on both private and public land at Bethells/Te Henga, including the Cascades, are
popular with the screen industry as filming locations. ‘Children of Fire Mountain’ was filmed
at Te Henga in 1978/79, and ‘Trespassers’ in 1982. Scenes from the popular American
television series ‘Xena Warrior Princess’ and ‘Hercules: the Legendary Journeys’ were shot
at the local beach, on the dunes at Wainamu and in the bush over many years, and the area
is popular for the filming of advertisements.
The data on filming days in Waitakere City-owned parkland is amalgamated and includes
Bethells/Te Henga and Piha – a total of 105 filming days over 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007
until 31st May. These activities contribute significantly to employment for local people.
Te Henga Quarry
The Te Henga Quarry is located at 99
Te Henga Road in the midst of a bush
covered area and is owned by the
WCC. The quarry comprises of a total
area of approximately 87 hectares of
land. The quarry supplies crushed and
uncrushed andesitic basalt rock to the
aggregate market primarily for the
purposes of road construction. The
license to operate the quarry is
contracted to the Perry Group, trading
as Waitakere Quarry Ltd.
Quarry operations include stripping of
‘overburden’ (the saturated red clay and sandstone atop the rock), drilling, blasting,
extraction of crushed and uncrushed rock, crushing, screening and stockpiling of aggregate.
The range of permitted activities for the quarry set out in the District Plan ceases at the
expiry of the Quarry Management Plan on 31 August 2020. However, the end of the
Quarry’s anticipated life is 2017, which is also when the current contract with Perry Group
expires.
The current intention is to restore native vegetation on the quarry site at the end of the
quarry life, and some restoration is already occurring. However, public consultation (see
Section 6) has raised the issue of other potential uses such as a garden, rock climbing, film
sets, visitor information centre (dunes/coastal/rainforest interpretation) or conservation.
6.4.2 Economic Activities that may be appropriate for the area
The WRHA Act recognises that, while most of the Heritage Area needs to be protected,
people also live and work in the Heritage Area’s communities. Objective 8(i) seeks to
provide for these people’s social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing.
West Coast Plan Target Thirteen reads:
‘Enable people to work in their communities, provided that the environmental effects
are minimised’.
West Coast Plan policy is to prevent large-scale commercial developments that do not fit
with the character of the area, and to encourage people to carry out small scale and low
environmental impact businesses at home.
PAGE 169
The Waitakere Economic Wellbeing Strategy is the Council’s expression of how it fulfils its
legislative role in promoting the community’s economic wellbeing. It sets out a twenty year
vision for the development of the Waitakere economy within the context of five themes:
place, people, enterprise development, profile and marketing and partnering. For rural
Waitakere, actions include the development of a rural economic activities plan to:
•
Facilitate development of appropriate commercial activity in the Waitakere Ranges
Heritage Area that is sensitive to the special nature of the area;
•
Enable rural communities to realise economic potential while retaining connectedness
and promoting natural and cultural heritage, character and recreation resources;
•
Identify appropriate economic activity in place-based plans and policies to be supported
by Council advocacy, regulation and services.
Hillary Trail Accommodation
The recently opened Hillary Trail passes through the study area. This is a four day, three
night walk in the Waitakere Ranges for fitter trampers, starting at Titirangi and the Arataki
Centre in the southern Ranges, crossing through Huia, Whatipu, Karekare, Piha, Anawhata,
and thence over to Lake Wainamu and Bethells/ Te Henga. The walk finishes at either
Muriwai or at the Swanson
Railway Station. Campgrounds
are provided at Huia, Pararaha
and Anawhata, but the Regional
Parks
Management
Plan
recognises that Te Henga would
also be a convenient stopover. To
date the only overnight facilities at
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere
Valley
are
the
up-market
accommodation cottages at Te
Henga, several bed and breakfast
operations further up the valley
and Karanga camp on Te Henga
Road.
Easton (2010) report
Lois Easton Consulting Ltd has written a three part report46 for WCC identifying the types of
economic and non residential activities that could be appropriate in the Heritage Area to
support the economic and social wellbeing of the communities of the Heritage Area. The
report also considers what constraints would be required to be put in place in order for these
activities to be undertaken.
The report recognises that although local employment is an objective of the Council, in the
context of the Heritage Area, employment is not necessarily the primary driver of any
economic strategy. Rather, the provision of local well-being would be the core reason for
any alteration to the current policy approach.
Easton notes that the clear expectation is that the WRHA Act will lead to a reduction in
subdivision as a form of economic activity. She also states that there is strong advocacy for
46
Lois Easton Consulting Ltd (2008-2009), An Investigation of Economic Development Potential in the
Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area:
(2008) Stage One Report
(2009) Stage Two Case Studies
(2009) Stage Three Report: Recommended Activities
PAGE 170
improved broadband, in terms of both access and speed. However, business use appears
to be mixed, with some saying that broadband provides their business with little additional
advantage. There have been few complaints from the study area relating to access to and
speed of broadband in the area.
A significant point made by Easton is that reports on coastal economic development in the
Heritage Area appears to be driven by amenity and tourism. Key to these activities are the
very high levels of beauty and ecological treasures (amenity and landscape values) of the
Heritage Area. It contains places that outsiders want to visit and that people want to live in.
Retaining these qualities and enhancing them as far as possible, is central to the ongoing
economic and social wellbeing of the area.
The visitor economy – the collection of businesses and organisations which interact directly
with visitors such as accommodation, visitor transport and leisure and recreation activities –
has generally been considered most significant to the economy of the Heritage Area. The
report developed as part of Auckland Region economic development Metro Project titled
‘Bringing the World to Auckland’, outlines both the case for investment in and key actions
needed for Auckland’s visitor economy. Easton comments that the emphasis of the thinking
in this document, in terms of dominant visitor attractors in the Heritage Area, is the already
visitor impacted West Coast and public lands in the Waitakere Ranges, and the
environmental values, rather than any viticultural /horticultural and arts activities. She also
notes that this proposed approach relatively accurately reflects the general current approach
to visitor marketing for the area – based on the ‘Waitakere Coastal Rainforest’ brand.
Easton’s report recognises that currently much of the visitor activity in the Heritage Area is
based around the Regional Parkland, with little local community benefit. The focus of her
proposals around the visitor economy are on extracting better value for local communities
from the large number of visitors already making their way into the Waitakere Ranges. She
notes that some locations and communities in the Heritage Area have very little ability to
absorb change, while in other locations activities could be considered appropriate. These
varying values of different parts of the Heritage Area require a more local or catchment
approach to consideration of appropriate non-residential activities.
The report develops recommended locations for different economic activities, based on a
division of the Heritage Area into “Economic Development Localities” which recognize the
different landscape and ecological values of different parts of the Heritage Area. Bethells/
Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley is one of the economic development localities identified.
Bethells Economic Development Locality
As background, Easton (2010) records that the entire area is one of outstanding landscape,
and there is a large area of strong coastal natural character, with the dunelands at Te Henga
Beach and inland at the dune impounded lakes. The Te Henga Wetland and dune
impounded lakes are unique and highly important natural features of the area, however little
information or interpretation is available about these. Currently, marginal pastoral land uses
are occurring, with some low quality farmland and a range of practices which can be
considered unsustainable in such an ecologically sensitive area.
There are a number of large landowners in the Te Henga area who already undertake a
range of economic activities including pastoral farming, filming, forestry, 4WD quad bike
tourism, horse trekking and cabin accommodation. These large sites are perhaps the best
opportunity to see a high end, even international lodge or similar wilderness accommodation
developed in the Heritage Area, with the high natural values of the wider area, the wild west
coast and the tranquil environment providing key attractions for the area.
The approach proposed for the area is to support economic activities which provide an
alternative to some of the higher impact activities currently being undertaken. The aim is to
PAGE 171
provide an alternative for these rural landowners in a very sensitive area so that they can
retire and restore riparian areas around the Waitakere River and wetland.
The general policy approach proposed by the report is to promote landuse change to a
more bush living rather than pastoral environment, through allowing a wider range of home
occupations and environmental interpretation activities. Accordingly the area is viewed by
Easton (2010) as being appropriate for accommodation and visitor facilities, including things
such as an ecolodge, environmental research centre, wetland interpretation centre or
environmental centre. It is assumed that filming activities will continue in the area also.
With regard to the proposed Te Henga Marae development, this could include high quality
and unique cultural visitor attraction opportunities, including visitor accommodation.
Easton (2010) considers that if a premier high end accommodation provider is going to
establish in the Heritage Area, Bethells/Te Henga would be a preferred location. She recalls
a past proposal for an Aman Resort at Piha, but considers that Bethells/Te Henga/
Waitakere Valley, particularly in the ‘large Property’ areas, is a more appropriate location for
this kind of activity. She points out that, while controversial, the kind of proposal seen with
the Aman Resort could have had a very significant positive impact on the environment in the
area, so shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand. The key issue is scale and extent of
development, its location, and what positive restoration outcomes could occur as a result of
such a proposal.
Recommended Activities
The Easton report (2010) recommends activities that may be considered appropriate for the
area. Some more traditionally rural activities, albeit on a small scale, are considered
appropriate, including:
•
Small scale poultry and egg production
•
Small scale market gardening with associated sales of roadside produce and prepared
foods
Other activities considered appropriate for the area are those which might help facilitate a
change in emphasis of land use away from rural production to more ecotourism oriented
facilities. For example:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Wetland and lake research centre
Conference centre in existing building
Artists co-operative with retail sales
Farmstay/B&B accommodation
Marae with associated Marae stay accommodation and cultural centre
Private campground with walkways connecting to the Hillary Trail across the Bethells
land to the Regional Parkland
High end boutique hotel or lodge with health spa
6.4.3 Conclusion
In Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley, the current policies and rules of the District Plan
essentially provide only for horticulture, agriculture, home occupations within existing
buildings and screen production (via consents for filming) as non-residential activities.
The Council needs to engage the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley community in the
debate as to what, if any, non-residential activities could better provide for the well-being of
this community. The Easton (2010) report lists activities that could be considered appropriate
for the area, and in particular activities which provide an alternative to some of the higher
PAGE 172
impact activities currently being undertaken, such as pastoral land use practices which can
be considered unsustainable in such an ecologically sensitive area. These include a wider
range of home occupations, accommodation and visitor facilities, including things such as an
ecolodge, environmental research centre, wetland interpretation centre or environmental
centre. It is assumed that filming activities will continue in the area also. The aim is to
promote land use change to a more bush living rather than pastoral environment and provide
an alternative for the rural landowners in this very sensitive area so that they can retire and
restore riparian areas around the Te Henga Wetland, the Waitakere River and its tributaries.
It is recognised that non-residential activities have been controversial in the past, and many
individuals, interest groups and organisations are concerned at the potential impact of these
activities on the character and amenity of the Heritage Area and concerned about the
impacts of visitors on the sensitive areas. It is thus most important that any strategy for nonresidential activities doesn’t create inappropriate expectations in the community that may not
align with the purpose of the WRHA Act.
6.5
ART, MUSIC AND CREATIVITY
6.5.1 Creative talent
The earliest examples of art in the
Bethells/Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley
area are ancient Maori art works. Many
of the objects that have been found
have been items of jewellery such as
combs
and
precious
greenstone
pendants.
The 1880’s signalled the beginning of
Pakeha artistic expression in the area.
Amongst the first European visual artists
to record the Bethells area was Charles
Bloomfield (1848-1926) who recorded
the beauty of the remaining bush areas.
The
Waitakere
Ranges
offered
inspiration and rugged beauty and have
attracted many artists and writers in the
post 1945 era, as Auckland began to
spread outwards, and better access
made the area more accessible to
private vehicles.
One of the notable visual artists working
Don Binney 1968 Kawaupaku, Te Henga..
in the Bethells area is Don Binney, a one
Reproduced with permission from the artist.
time
resident
of
Te
Henga/Bethells/Waitakere Valley. Many of
his works in the 1960s focused on the landscapes of Te Henga and the native birds and
plants in the area. Contemporary depictions of the Bethells area by visual artists include
works by local artists Mary Taylor, Derek March, Allie Eagle, Tony Ogle, Kate Newby,
Rachel McGregor and Rachel Bebbington.
PAGE 173
Early photographers include George Silk
and Olaf Peterson, neither of whom lived
at Bethells but both made valuable
photographic records in the area,
including award-winning photographs, in
the 1950s and 1960s. Contemporary
resident photographers include Liz March
and Rosie and Sylvie Whinray. Potter
Jeff Scholes is another influential artist
who moved to Te Henga in 1972 and
established a pottery studio in the area.
Rowena Coombes is a more recent local
potter. Ben Beattie, Anna Bates, Spike
Grimme and Andrew Stewart are local
jewellery makers and workers in natural
materials.
Derek March
Bethells/ Te Henga is a popular location for filming for television and movies. It first gained
the attention of filmmakers with the filming of Children of Fire Mountain in 1978/79 and
Trespassers in 1982. Television series such as Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess were
filmed in the mid 1990’s in Te Henga.
Young film makers of the Bethells/Te Henga/
Waitakere Valley area who are making their mark include Briar March, Phil Solaris and Tom
Reilly.
Authors and poets include Annette Lees and Bron Deed, while Mark Allen and Tyl Von
Randow are talented actors living locally. Tyl is also an architect, singer, artist, writer and
musician. The area abounds in wonderful musicians and singers, including Lorraine Havill,
Jonny Corker, Satish Sharma, Mike Chun, Bill and Yvonne Hynson, Rico Sheath, Nigel
Marshall, Sue Osborne, Max Hannon and Ryan Donnel. Riki Bennett and Rewi Spraggon
are at the forefront in reviving the art of creating and playing traditional Maori wind
instruments, while Paul Whinray has constructed beautiful, globally sought-after flutes from
local wood.
Today, the ongoing influence and legacy of the area’s arts, music and culture contribute to
community energy, vibrancy and pride.
Rock art near the Bethells Store and Café by Spike Grimme and Ben Beattie
6.5.2 Conclusion
‘The powerful energy in the landscape of Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere inspires and feeds
the creative talent as if it is in the water’47 and attracts many creative people to the area –
including visual artists, potters, jewellers, authors, photographers, film makers and
47
Liz March Personal communication 2010.
PAGE 174
musicians. Events such as the Bethells Community Day allow local celebration of the
talented people in the area. Sales outlets for local art include the Signal Gallery in Bethells
Road and some ‘studio sales’. Proposed Plan Change 36 seeks to set up rules to enable the
easier establishment of arts and crafts sales in the area.
Council needs to talk to the community to find whether there are more ways that the artistic
and creative endeavour of the area can be celebrated and encouraged.
6.6
SERVICES CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC WELLBEING
Services such as libraries, power and telecommunications, rubbish collection, water and
wastewater, roads and transport services contribute to both the social and economic
wellbeing of the community. These services and associated issues are outlined below.
6.6.1 Library
The Waitakere City mobile library visits Te Henga Coastal Village once a month, on the third
Wednesday of the month. The library has between 2,500 and 3,000 books.
6.6.2 Waste, recycling and inorganic collections
The Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area has a weekly rubbish collection (official
rubbish bags are user pays), a fortnightly recycling collection and an annual inorganic
materials collection (which since 2009 must be booked and a fee paid). The area has the
same level of service as urban Waitakere City.
6.6.3 Power
There is currently a single long and fragile power and telephone line coming into the
Waitakere Valley/ Bethells/ Te Henga. The area is thus particularly vulnerable if there is
damage to the line, and power outages in the area are reasonably common. Many of the
on-site water supply systems in the area are run on an electric pump, and for these
households, power failures also mean no water from the house taps.
In a regional context, the cost of providing power to relatively isolated communities such as
Bethells/ Te Henga is significant, and in effect, the urban areas of Auckland are subsidising
the cost of power supply to the coastal villages. At one time, the Electricity Act 1992
contained a provision that from a certain date, there would no longer be an obligation to
supply lines to new, uneconomic customers where lines charges could not meet the lines
cost; however this provision was repealed. A topic that could be addressed by the
community is how to provide power supply to the area in a more sustainable fashion, for
example through solar, wind and wave generation.
6.6.4 Communications
West Coast Plan target 13.1 is ‘Encourage low environmental impact access to high-tech
communications’, as important to enable people to work in their communities.
Broadband is run on the copper telephone cable into the area, and because the speed of
this type of connection is affected by distance, speeds in the area are slow. Although a fibre
optic cable for better communications services is being installed at Piha, there are no such
plans in the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley at the present time.
PAGE 175
There is no cell phone reception over most of the valley and the beach. The lack of
cellphone coverage in the area was the subject of criticism by the coroner following a recent
drowning at Bethells. As a result, Waitakere City Council officers have been working with
Vodafone Limited to investigate the possibility of establishing a cell site in the vicinity of the
surf club at Bethells/ Te Henga to provide network coverage, principally for public safety and
emergency services reasons.
The option being considered at the time of writing is to locate a 2 metre high antenna on the
roof of the surf club, and an equipment cabinet (measuring approximately 1.3 metres high,
0.8 metres deep and 2 metres long) adjacent to the surf club building. Underground cables
would then be laid to a panel antenna mounted either on the existing power pole belonging
to Vector Limited and located around 90 metres south-east of the surf club or, if agreement
cannot be reached with Vector Limited, another pole approximately 9 metres in height to be
erected near the existing pole. This repeater would link to a new microwave site on Jonkers
Road, giving access to the network.
Installation of this repeater would provide coverage to Bethells Beach and much of the
Waitakere Valley, but not to O’Neills Beach.
A discussion with the community is needed on the technology that is available to improve
telecommunications services, whether the community is in favour of better services, the
degree of environmental impact that the community is prepared to see in order for improved
services to be supplied, and how improved services might be facilitated.
Conclusion – Library, Waste, Power and Telecommunications Services
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley has a good solid waste, recycling and inorganic waste
collection system, the same as the urban areas of the city, and a mobile library that visits Te
Henga Village regularly.
With a single line into the valley, power supply is vulnerable and the area is prone to power
outages. As well as impacting on household appliances, power outages cut the water supply
to many household taps and restrict the ability to work from a home office. A topic that could
be addressed by the community is how to provide a power supply to the area in a more
sustainable fashion, for example through solar, wind and wave generation.
Broadband is supplied via the outdated technology of copper cable, and speeds are often
slow. The lack of cellphone coverage in the area has been the subject of criticism by the
coroner following a recent drowning at Bethells Beach, and Waitakere City Council is
working with Vodafone Limited to improve the coverage. A discussion with the community is
needed on the technology available to improve telecommunications services, whether such
services are wanted, the degree of environmental impact that the community is prepared to
see In order for improved services to be supplied,
and how they might be facilitated.
6.6.5 Water Supply
An adequate water supply is fundamental to the
health and wellbeing of the community.
How is the area’s water supplied?
The properties in Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere
Valley are predominantly serviced by roof tank
water supplies. The rainwater or ‘raw’ water is
PAGE 176
collected from roof water runoff and stored onsite in a storage tank. The storage tanks vary
in capacity, age, condition and building material on a house by house basis. If shortages of
water occur water is trucked in and the tank topped up. The tanker trucks fill up with water
from the Waitakere water supply network, therefore the city water supply is a partial service
provider. Water from the house tank is distributed to outlets (such as taps and showerheads) generally through conventional reticulation pipe-work, and pressure is typically
maintained through a continuous flow pressure pump.
Water supply quality
As part of their Assessment of Water Services, Waitakere City commissioned a report from
Maunsell Limited titled ‘Drinking Water Communities: Public Health Risk Assessments’
(March 2005). This report surveyed water supplies to the communities of Waitakere City,
including the coastal villages. Maunsell noted that water treatment practices vary and
generally include some form of inline filters, but this is dependent on the resident. The
proportion of disinfected water is believed to be low. The on-site supply of water to this area
is unlikely to change as development of the reticulation network is not expected in the area.
The results for Bethells/Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley are set out below.
Key water quality characteristics taken from a small sample of houses during the period of
1st November 2004 to 20th December 2004 are summarised in the table at Figure 62. The
sample was small and is only a representation.
Figure 62
Water Quality Characteristics of a sample of house water tanks in Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley
MOH
recommended
minimum
Chlorine
(FAC) (mg/l)
Acidity
(pH)
Clarity
(Turbidity) (NTU)
MOH
recommended
maximum
Average value
over the
Community
Maximum value
recorded in the
community
Minimum value
recorded in the
community
0.2
5
-
-
-
7
8.5
7.9
8.1
7.6
NA
2.5
0.75
1.00
0.35
These show that water quality in the properties sampled in the Bethells and Te Henga area
are generally good although the lack of residual chlorine in the water increases the risk of
harmful bacteria and viruses not being killed. The clarity of the water is less than desirable,
but is within Ministry of Health guidelines. Although this problem can be partially mitigated by
measures to maximise the turnover of water, improved screening, filtration and treatment is
likely to provide the most effective solution. The properties sampled had generally good
measures in place to minimise contamination.
Water Supply Risk
Risk factors with roof tank water supplies include animal dropping on roof or in the guttering
that can contain bacteria and viruses that pose serious health risks, and chemical
contaminants on roof or in the guttering. The report found that owners typically have
developed their own maintenance and operating practices of varying standards in response
to their experiences with their water supply systems. A survey of the community indicated
awareness of the issues and risks associated with their water supply.
Despite a lack of reported problems, the report notes that there is an elevated risk to public
health associated with many on site water supplies. It is inevitable that there will be some
contamination of the roof water runoff to some degree. Although many of the on site water
supplies have various screens and filters installed it is not common for on site water supplies
to incorporate systems which will effectively remove or negate the effects of all potentially
harmful organisms in the raw water.
PAGE 177
PAGE 178
Reducing Risk
The report recommends actions to reduce the risk, including:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Trim trees & vegetation overhanging the roof
Regular maintenance and cleaning of system, including disconnecting downpipe from
tank, cleaning of roof and gutters at least annually, and cleaning tank out at least every
two years
Inspect tank at least every month for dead animals, unpleasant odours, discoloured
water and evidence of access. If animal remains are found, disinfect before continuing
use of water, install or replace mesh over vents and openings etc where necessary and
ensure lid is securely in place
Appropriate system design, which may include gutter guards, screens on gutters and
downpipes, sediment traps, filters and UV treatment
Employing only register trades people to perform maintenance and install new
components
Monitor water quality
Avoid burning material that could release harmful chemicals into the air and settle on
roof, and investigate lengthening chimney
Keep roof surface in good repair through regular checks and maintenance
When replacing or constructing a new roof use appropriate building materials
If people in the house are getting sick have the water sampled and tested with a Ministry
of Health recognised laboratory
Awareness raising of the risks and the actions needed to reduce this risk is important.
6.6.6 Wastewater
Household wastewater is the used water from toilets, dishwashers, sinks, washing
machines, showers, baths and so forth. Wastewater disposal that maintains community and
environmental health is fundamental to the wellbeing of the community.
How is the community’s wastewater disposed?
Communities within the study area predominantly rely on individual on-site wastewater
treatment and disposal. Malfunctioning of on-site systems may cause unhealthy conditions
in people’s back yards and may pollute groundwater and surrounding streams.
Why do on-site wastewater systems sometimes fail?
Many on-site systems do not operate in accordance with design standards, and this can be
due to any one of many reasons, or a combination of reasons. The system may be installed
in an area of poor drainage, high groundwater levels or in an ‘overland flow path’ (where
stormwater tends to flow after heavy rain). The drainage field may be too small and/or on
land that is too steep. If the drainage area is prone to subsidence or root intrusions,
structural failure may result. The wastewater system itself could be old/unsuitable or of a
poor design, or the system may fail due to pump failure.
In addition, householders relying on on-site wastewater systems need to be aware of how to
take good care of the system, as even new, well-designed systems can fail if not maintained
properly.
Performance of on-site systems in the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley Area
URS New Zealand Limited (URS) was engaged by WCC to assess the potential public
health risks associated with the existing on-site wastewater systems in 21 identified
PAGE 179
communities with an absence of a reticulated wastewater system, including the coastal
villages.48
URS assessed the public health risk as a combination of likelihood of on-site system failure
and the consequences of failure, as set out in the matrix at Figure 63 below. It is important to
note that although some of the risks had a lower likelihood (possible, unlikely or rare), due to
the significant potential public health consequence if these risk events did arise, the public
health risk was considered to be high or extreme. That is, if failure could have major or
catastrophic consequences for public health, the risk was classified as high or extreme even
if the possibility of failure was unlikely or even rare.
Figure 63
The risk events focused on the possible causes of failures of on-site wastewater treatment
and disposal systems, as these failures can lead to human exposure to pathogenic (diseasecausing) organisms present in untreated and treated wastewater. Risk events with the
highest associated public health risk were found to be failures due to poor drainage, high
groundwater levels, small and/or steep disposal areas and old/unsuitable systems or poor
design.
Of the communities studied, Bethells/Te Henga was among the communities found to have
the greatest potential risk associated with on-site wastewater disposal. The high risk is due
to the potential impacts on water bodies used for contact recreation. The consequences of
untreated wastewater entering these water bodies are considered to be catastrophic (major
impact for large population), given the high usage of the water bodies for contact recreation.
Figure 64: Summary of Public Health Risk Associated with Community On-site Wastewater
Treatment/ Disposal
No.
Risk Event
1
Flooding
2
3
4
Drainage
Stormwater
System
overloading
Groundwater
Size/ slope
5
6
E= Extreme risk
Bethells/ Te
Henga
L
No.
Risk Event
7
H
E
E
8
9
10
Old system/ Poor
design
Load subsidence
Root intrusion
Pump failure
E
E
11
12
Improper use
Blockage
H= High risk M= Moderate risk
48
L= Low risk
Bethells/ Te
Henga
E
L
E
E
E
E
Source: URS 2005
URS, April 2005. ‘Assessment of Public health Risk Associated with Onsite Wastewater Disposal in
Waitakere City’.
PAGE 180
The public health risk associated with wastewater disposal in the Bethells/ Te Henga coastal
village community is set out in Figure 64 above.
Wastewater issues identified by the Bethells/ Te Henga community in responses to a
questionnaire sent out to residents by URS during 2005 are summarised below.
Bethells/
Te
Henga
Occasional contamination of surface water, mild odour (depending on wind),
sections flooded by the stream with distinct odour.
Taking care of your septic tank
There are a number of actions (dos and don’ts) that householders can take to see that the
wastewater system operates properly.
o
o
o
o
o
o
Don’t use harsh household cleaners
- use of incompatible chemicals
found in some household cleaners
may destroy the system treatment
process.
Don’t overload the wastewater
system, for example by too many
people living in the house for the
size of the wastewater system or by
putting through several loads of
washing in the same day.
Do install water-saving devices and
low water use whiteware, for
example low flow shower heads and
taps, dual-flush toilets, and low
water-use dishwashers and washing machines, as these can help to reduce household
water usage and avoid overloading the wastewater system.
Do restrict access to the on-site wastewater disposal field to avoid damage by stock and
vehicles (Council will probably hold a map of your disposal field if you are unsure where
it is).
Do install cut-off drains to prevent stormwater from the ground above flowing onto the
disposal field.
Do consider entering into a maintenance contract to ensure regular professional testing
and pump-out of your system.
For those householders that do not have a regular maintenance contract with a service
provider, Waitakere City Council provides a regular septic tank pump-out service, funded by
rates. A national standard relating to on-site wastewater systems is currently under
consideration.
Conclusion – Water Supply and Wastewater services
Properties in the area are predominantly serviced by on-site water supply and wastewater
systems. Samples indicate that tank water supply quality in the area is generally good, but
on the other hand, the risk of contamination from roof water is high. In terms of wastewater,
Te Henga Coastal Village was amongst the communities found to have the highest potential
risk associated with on-site wastewater disposal, mainly because of the potential impacts of
malfunctioning wastewater disposal areas on water bodies used for contact recreation. The
regular septic tank pump-out service provided by Waitakere City Council for those sites that
do not have a maintenance contract with a service provider, helps in keeping wastewater
PAGE 181
disposal areas functioning. However, there are a number of actions that householders can
take to reduce risk to their water supplies, and to ensure that their wastewater disposal
systems are operating according to specifications. Householders in the area need to be
made better aware of these actions and their importance.
6.6.7 Roads and Trails
Connections by Trail and Road
During the era of Maori occupation of the area, Te Henga was well linked to the outside
world via a coastal walking trail north to the Kaipara Harbour and south to the Manukau
Harbour, and an inland route up the Waitakere valley to Swanson, the Waitemata Harbour,
Henderson Valley and parts further afield (refer Figure 65).
Today the settlement at Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley, like the other villages along
the West Coast, is connected to the outside world via a solitary vehicle access up the valley
towards the ‘spine road’ of the Scenic Drive. It is a long drive by car up to the spine and
down to the neighbouring coastal villages of Piha and Karekare to the south.
However, as in former times, the area is still well connected via a network of walking trails.
There is still a more or less direct walking connection to Piha in the south, Muriwai in the
north and to Cascade Kauri Park, and Swanson in the east. The Hillary Trail makes good
use of these connections, providing a choice at Te Henga of either following the Te Henga
coastal walk from Bethells to Muriwai along the Department of Conservation land (Goldies
Bush Track), or inland along Kuataika Track, Smythe Ridge Track, Upper Kauri Track,
Auckland City Walk, Andersons Track, East Tunnel Mouth Track, Swanson Pipeline Track
and Tram Valley Road to the Swanson Railway Station. These trails are illustrated in the
map at Figure 44.
A comment from public consultation in the area points out that the Waitakere River forms a
strong physical divide between Bethells and the Muriwai/ Goldies Bush area. The submitter
seeks consideration of a river crossing to join the two communities, possibly with a more
direct foot link to Goldies Bush.
Figure 65
: Traditional Maori Walking Trails in the Te Henga Area
Source: Swanson Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc (2004) Rugged Determination. Historical
Window on Swanson 1854-2004. BellPrint Limited. Titirangi, Auckland. New Zealand.
PAGE 182
As noted, Bethells Road is the single vehicle access route into and out of most of the valley
and the coastal settlement areas at Bethells/Te Henga. From the coast at Bethells/ Te
Henga, Bethells Road extends up the valley approximately seven kilometres to the junction
with Te Henga Road at the head of the valley.
From the fork in the road near Black Bridge, Bethells Road winds over the hill to Waitakere
Township, giving access north to Kumeu/ Taupaki and state Highway 16, to Massey in the
east and to Swanson in the south, via Waitakere Road. The other fork, Te Henga Road,
follows up the Waitakere valley rising more and more steeply to the ridge at Scenic Drive,
thus connecting to Swanson and south to Oratia, Waiatarua, Piha and Titirangi.
Secondary roads giving access to the areas adjacent to Bethells and Te Henga Roads
include Unity Road, Falls Road, Aio Wira Road, Steam Hauler Track, Long Road, Te Aute
Roads East and West, Kokako Grove, Tasman View Road, and Erangi Place and McKay
Place in the Te Henga Coastal Village.
Road Traffic Volumes
There are two traffic counting points, located on the main roads into the valley. These are
on Bethells Road, 100 metres east of Wairere Road, and Te Henga Road, 100 metres east
of Unity Road, as shown on the map at Figure 66.
Figure 66
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley – Nearest Traffic Count Locations
The location of the counter on Bethells Road is not particularly useful in helping to estimate
the number of vehicles that pass through the Waitakere Valley to Bethells/Te Henga, as
vehicles passing this counter could be travelling into Wairere Road and the area to the north
of the Waitakere Valley. The regular counts at these locations are taken during the peak
summer holiday period when it could be expected that many vehicles are heading for the
beach or the parks.
PAGE 183
Despite the fact that the count will be an over-estimation of traffic into the valley and
Bethells/ Te Henga, the data does show a large increase in traffic, with vehicles past the
counters increasing by about 38% over the period 2001 to 2008. During the week of the
count in December 2008 a total of 1,903 vehicles travelled past the counter towards the
study area (or Wairere Road), compared with 1,383 in December/ January 2000/ 2001.
Weekly traffic past these counting locations, one-way and both ways, is set out in Figures 67
and 68.
Figure 67:
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley
Seven Day Average Daily Traffic Counts (one way)
2001 – 2009
Seven Day Average Daily Traffic
Week of Traffic Count
Bethells Road (100m
east of Wairere Rd)
Driving towards
Wairere Rd or Te
Henga
Te Henga Road
(110m east of Unity
Rd). Driving towards
Bethells/ Te Henga
26/12/00-1/1/01
26/12/01-1/1/02
26/12/02-1/1/03
22/12/03-28/12/03
24/12/04-30/12/04
23/12/05-29/12/05
25/12/06 – 31/12/06
24/12/07 – 30/12/07
22/12/08 – 29/12/08
837
935
995
1173
1058
1122
1008
1115
1168
546
697
798
697
685
678
651
763
735
Figure 68:
Combined
1383
1632
1793
1870
1743
1800
1659
1878
1903
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley
Seven Day Average Daily Traffic Counts (both ways)
2001 - 2009
Week of Traffic
Count
26/12/00-1/1/01
26/12/01-1/1/02
26/12/02-1/1/03
22/12/03-28/12/03
24/12/04-30/12/04
23/12/05-29/12/05
25/12/06 – 31/12/06
24/12/07 – 30/12/07
22/12/08 – 29/12/08
Seven Day Average Daily Traffic
Bethells Road
Te Henga Road Combined
(100m east of
(110m east of
Wairere Road)
Unity Road)
1654
1117
2771
1836
1443
3279
1969
1636
3605
2328
1423
3751
2103
1390
3493
2215
1384
3599
1994
1328
3322
2195
1572
3767
2315
1501
3816
PAGE 184
Road Safety
For much of its length, Bethells Road is narrow and
winding, with some parts prone to flooding. There were 33
crashes recorded on Bethells and Te Henga Roads from
2000-2010. Of these 1 was fatal, 5 were serious injuries
and 8 were minor injuries. Key causes of the accidents
were alcohol, driver inattention, speed, environmental
conditions; darkness, dazzling sun, wet road conditions
and failure to give way.
New signage recently installed on a number of bad corners may help to reduce accidents.
Most of Bethells Road on its way through the Waitakere Valley is a 100kph zone. Within
the Te Henga Coastal Village area, starting 360 metres east (towards the city) from Tasman
View Road, is a 50kph zone. A number of public consultations have raised the issue of the
need to lower the speed limit along these
winding roads.
There are no foot tracks and some lengths of
the road are winding and have very narrow or
non-existent berms, making the road
hazardous for pedestrians, cycles and
horses. Submissions at a public consultation
in the area seek the provision of walking
tracks down the valley from school to beach
and from Tasman View Road to the beach.
Conclusion – Roads and Trails
In conclusion, there is only a single vehicle access in and out of the Waitakere Valley to the
‘spine road’ of the Scenic Drive, from which feeder roads head down into the other west
coast villages – a long journey by car to the neighbouring coastal villages of Piha and
Karekare. However, as in pre-European times, the area is well connected by walking tracks.
Some suggestions for improved walking connections include a link across the southern end
of Pae o te Rangi Regional Park directly to Lake Wainamu, and a possible more direct link
across the Waitakere River to Goldies Bush and Muriwai.
Much of Bethells Road is narrow and winding and is vulnerable to slip and flooding. There is
the potential for works on this road to raise the level of the flood prone areas of the road.
Traffic volumes on Bethells and Te Henga Roads have risen significantly in the past decade,
and given their narrow, winding nature, the
traffic speed limit (100kph) along much of their
lengths is in need of review. In addition, the
berms in many parts of the road are narrow or
non-existent, and hazardous for pedestrian,
horses and cyclists.
Submissions have sought the provision of
walking tracks down the valley from school to
beach and from Tasman View Road to the
beach, as well as the lowering of the speed
limit.
PAGE 185
6.6.8 Public Transport and Cycling
An adequate public transport system and safe facilities for cycling are important to the
wellbeing of those within the community who have no private vehicle, cannot drive, or wish
to use a more environmentally friendly and/or healthy mode of transport.
Trains
The closest train station to Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley is at Waitakere Township, a
distance of 11.8 kilometres from Te Henga Village. Trains go every 30 minutes at peak
times and hourly during off-peak times. There are 17 park and ride spaces provided at
Waitakere Station. A little further away, Swanson Station runs peak–hour services every 15
minutes and off-peak services every 30 minutes. At Swanson there are 34 park and ride
spaces.
Buses
There is no public bus service into Te Henga Coastal Village.
A school bus service is provided to the area, but the nearest
public bus service is at Swanson, a distance of 15.3 km from
Te Henga Coastal Village.
From Swanson, there is a
regular commuter bus service that runs into Britomart. The
service runs at between 20 and 35 minute intervals at peak
times on weekday mornings (6:40am to 8:10am). The return
service runs every 30 minutes at peak times on Weekday
afternoons (between 4:30pm and 5:30pm).
At off
peak times and on weekends the service from Swanson to
Britomart runs every hour.
A submission to a public consultation at the Bethells
Community day 2010 requested a public bus service to link
Bethells, Waitakere Village, and Swanson.
Bus stop at Waitakere School
Cycling
There are no formal cycle ways in Bethells/Te
Henga/Waitakere Valley, but the beach is a popular
destination for bicycle riders, with increasing numbers
on the road in the valley. Cyclists are of course
provided for as ‘vehicles’ on all public roads. However
the road down the Waitakere Valley is generally
winding and narrow in nature and has limited shoulder
width. These factors combined with high vehicle
speeds (100 kph speed limit along most of the road) raise safety concerns for cyclists. A
submitter at a past public consultation in the area seeks cycling tracks down the valley from
school to beach and from Tasman View Road to the beach.
Mountain biking is not permitted within the ARC managed Waitakere Ranges Regional
Parkland.
PAGE 186
Conclusion – Public Transport and Cycling
In conclusion, the Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley has no public transport available,
with the nearest public transport being the train station at Waitakere Township, 11.8
kilometres from Te Henga. The 11 park and ride carparks available at this station are an
advantage. In addition, the winding, narrow nature of the road down the valley and the
limited shoulder width, together with high vehicle speeds, raises safety concerns for cyclists
on Bethells Road. An off-road cycling track has been requested through submissions.
6.7
NATURAL HAZARDS AND EMERGENCIES
6.7.1 Emergency Preparedness
Bethells/ Te Henga Coastal Village and much of the Waitakere Valley is vulnerable in the
event of major natural and man-made hazards such as cyclonic events, tsunami, tornado,
fire, flood, landslides, earthquake, volcanic eruption or hazardous substances spill, because
the area is easily isolated beyond the Bethells/ Te Henga Road junction due to the single
vehicle access road down to the village. Any of these events may cause a massive
disruption to the local infrastructure (roads, power, telecommunications, and on-site water
and wastewater systems) and, should the only road out be blocked, there is no alternative
means of vehicular exit in an emergency (although walking tracks are available). The
community may need to rely on its own resources for some days.
The community therefore needs to build resilience, by ensuring that:
•
•
•
•
there is a general understanding of what to do in an emergency
families, and if possible neighbourhoods, discuss emergency plans (for example, a
meeting place in case of communication breakdown)
Each family is prepared to survive in their home for up to three days without assistance,
other than from other people in the neighbourhood. This requires that families keep and
regularly update emergency survival kits, containing food, water and necessary supplies
including medication, a torch/ batteries and a transistor radio (that requires no power to
operate).
Infirm and disabled members of the community, and those without transport, are
recognised and a support plan put in place.
A number of these actions require a raising of community awareness and positive action to
put in place survival kits and family and/or neighbourhood emergency plans and to develop
support plans for less mobile members of the community.
More comprehensive information is to be found on the Council’s web site at
www.waitakere.govt.nz/abtcit/cp/pdf/emergencyplan
6.7.2 Tsunami
A tsunami is most commonly caused by an up thrust of the ocean floor and massive release
of energy following a large earthquake. Tsunami can also be caused by a coastal landslip or
from an island type volcanic eruption such as White Island in the Bay of Plenty. Most
generated tsunami are very small and are not noticeable however occasionally large tsunami
are generated and can be hugely destructive.
PAGE 187
Following the disastrous 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Asia, the WCC installed a siren-based
alerting/evacuation system in the most populated coastal communities, including Bethells/
Te Henga, to warn of tsunami threat. The selected coverage area for the siren warning at
Bethells/ Te Henga is designed for locations from sea level up to 10 metres above sea level,
although it is possible that sites above the 10 metre contour would be affected by a large
tsunami. It is likely wise for those in the areas above the 10m contour to be prepared for
evacuation as well.
The siren locations within the Te Henga Coastal Village, the areas within the settlement that
are below 10 metres above sea level, and the safe ground zone, together with arrows
showing evacuation routes, are shown on the map below.
The warning siren has three tones. These signal:
• an alert only
• evacuation required, and
• all clear
These tones are described below.
Alert Signal –
(- dash - dash . dot . dot)
sounded for 15 minutes
Action to take:
•
Evacuate beaches
•
Listen to radio/ TV for
information
•
Prepare
to
evacuate
if
required
Evacuate Signal –
( . dot . dot . dot) sounded in
continuous bursts for 15
minutes
Action to take:
•
Evacuate
immediately
to
nearest safe high ground
•
Avoid
using
personal
transport unless essential
Note that the siren systems are tested twice a year at
midday on the Sunday following the change of daylight
saving.
Tsunamis can be from distant sources (more than 5 hours
notice) or regional sources, eg the Solomon Islands, (2-5
hours notice), but the most dangerous are often those from
a local source, when less than 1 hour, or perhaps no alarm
warning can be given. If there is a large earthquake, those
that live by the sea are advised to move to a safe inland
area immediately.
Conclusion - Tsunami
Tsunami warning sirens have been put in place at
Bethells/ Te Henga, but in the case of a large local
earthquake, there may be no time for a warning. In this
event, people living near the coast must be aware that
they should move to higher ground immediately.
PAGE 188
All Clear Signal –
(____) continuous tone
for 5 minutes
Action to take:
•
Return to premises if not
affected
•
Follow directions of the
emergency services if your
area has been affected
6.7.3 Fire
Much of the Bethells/Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley is covered with native vegetation. The
management of fire in the area is important to ensure community safety, safety of private
property and protection of the environment and ecosystems of the area.
Annual Fire Return statistics are only available for the Waitakere Rural Fire District (see
map at Figure 69), which covers most of the Waitakere Ranges, including all of the coastal
area.
Figure 69
PAGE 189
Statistics for vegetation fires in the Waitakere Rural Fire District are set out at Figure 70
below.
Waitakere fire District
Number of Vegetation Fires and Amount of Vegetation Burned
Figure 70
Year
Number of
fires
Grass area
burned
(ha)
1
Manuka/
kanuka
associations
burned (ha)
6
Indigenous
forest
burned
(ha)
-
Total
area
burned
(ha)
7.0
1/5/0830/4/09
1/5/0730/4/08
1/5/0630/4/07
1/5/0230/4/03
1/5/0130/4/02
1/5/0030/4/01
15
27
-
7.15
-
7.15
34
2
6.5
-
8.5
71
-
8.5
-
8.5
13
1
7.2
3
11.2
20
4
19
-
23.0
Source: Waitakere Rural Fire District Annual Fire Return Statistics
Note: No data is available for the years 2003-04, 2004/05 and 2005/06.
The risk
Fires, and particularly bush fires, are a hazard in the area, where many houses are nestled
into the bush, and there is limited access to water sources adequate for fire fighting
purposes. Fire is generally started by people, although very occasionally by natural causes
such as lightening, and most fires, therefore, ignite along roads or beaches and close to
houses.
Regenerating manuka, kanuka, toetoe, and common weeds such as pampas and gorse, and
particularly sprayed gorse, are very flammable, particularly in the dry season, and this is the
predominant vegetation in much of the area, making homes vulnerable. Older, mature native
forest is much less flammable.
In the past ten years, four dwellings have been damaged or destroyed by fire in the coastal area
of the Waitakere Ranges, one of which was in the Bethells area. Of these four, none were due to
vegetation fires. The Waitakere City District Plan provides protection for native bush in the area,
so that the landscape and ecological features that make the area so attractive can be retained.
Under the current District Plan rules (April 2010), bush can be cleared if it is within an area 3m
from the edge of a dwelling (as measured along the ground from the eaves of the building
excluding any uncovered decks). This is a small clearance area, but was put in place after
consideration of the low perceived fire risk to dwellings as evidenced by the statistics, and the
significant adverse impact on landscape and ecology of providing for a large cleared area around
every house.
PAGE 190
Residents in Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley do need to be aware that the flammability
of vegetation around the house affects fire intensity, and has an influence on fire control and
the chances of a home being damaged or destroyed by a vegetation fire. Long, rank grass
around the house should be mown in the summer and dead leaves and twigs removed. In
addition, when putting in new planting around the house, homeowners can reduce the fire
hazard by choosing lower flammability native species. The flammability level of common
native species is set out in the list at Figure 71 below.
Figure 71
Flammability of Native Plant Species
Low flammability species
Moderate Flammability species
Five finger
Hangehange
Pseudopanax arboreus
Geniostoma ligustrifolium
Flax
Kahikatea/ White Pine
Horoekea/
Lancewood
Karamu
Karaka
Kawakawa/ Pepper
tree
Kotukutuku
Papauma/ Broadleaf
Poroporo
Pseudopanax crassifolius
Kauri
Phormiun spp.
Podocarpus
dacrydiodes
Agathis australis
Coprosma robusta
Corynocarpus laevigatus
Macropiper excelsum
Kohuhu
Rimu
Southern Rata
Pittosporum tenuifolium
Dacrydium cupressinum
Metrosideros umbellate
Fuchsia excorticata
Griselinia littoralis
Solanum aviculare
Tawa
Tawhero/ Towhai
Te kouka/ Cabbage
Tree
Beilschmiedia tawa
Weinmannia silvicola
Cordyline australis
Puka
Griselinia lucida
Putaputaweta
Raurekau/ Kanono
Raurekau
Taupata
Carpodetus serratus
Coprosma grandifolia
Coprosma australis
Coprosma repens
Moderate/ high flammability
Akeake
Mingimingi
Totara
Tree ferns
Low/ Moderate flammability
species
Hoheria/ Lacebark
Kamahi
Karo
Koromiko
Mahoe wao
Dodonaea viscose
Cyathodes fasticulata
Podocarpus totara
Cyathea and Dicksonia
spp.
High flammability species
Hoheria spp.
Weinmannia racemosa
Pittosporum crassifolium
Hebe salicifolia and Hebe
stricta
Melicytis lanceolatus
Mahoe / Whiteywood
Makomako/
Wineberry
Manatu/ Ribbonwood
Melicytis ramiflorus
Aristotelia serrata
Ngaio
Myoporum laetum
Rewarewa
Knightia excelsa
Tarata/ Lemonwood
Pittosporum eugenioides
Tawhai/ Silver beech
Nothofagus menziesii
Toatoa
Phyllocladus glaucus
Tutu
Coriaria arborea
Kanuka
Manuka
Kunzea ericoides
Leptospermum scoparium
Plagianthus regius
Source: Experienced fire managers throughout NZ were asked to rank a list of native species in terms of
flammability in the light of their observations at wildfires and prescribed burns under different fire danger
conditions. The responses were subjected to statistical procedures, to produce a final list of 42 species in 5
flammability classes.
PAGE 191
Bethells Rural Fire Force
The Bethells rural fire station is located at the junction of Te Aute Ridge Road East and
Bethells Road, in the Waitakere Valley. It is equipped with a rural fire appliance (engine)
with portable pumps, 1300 litres of water, hand tools, chainsaws, first aid and defibrillator,
and a 7,000 litre tanker, with portable pumps and hand tools (the only fire tanker in the
study area). The nearby rural fire station at Waitakere Township is equipped with a rural fire
appliance and a light rural fire appliance. It is run by a local volunteer fire fighting unit.
Under the Forest and Rural Fires legislation, WCC is the Rural Fire Authority for the rural area of
the city, playing a major part in fire prevention and suppression in the Bethells area by:
o
o
o
funding, training and equipping the local volunteer fire fighting unit
providing a network of emergency water tanks in the area, and
authorising and monitoring Open, Restricted, and Prohibited fire Seasons.
In major fire events at Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley, the Bethells Volunteer Rural Fire
Force is assisted by the rural fire force located in Waitakere Township and the New Zealand Fire
Service (the professional fire fighting body). The volunteer fire forces and the NZFS attend
many major incidents together, operate under a common command structure, and back each
other up. Overall control depends on the nature and complexity of the incident, as well as
whose area it is in.
Modern telecommunications and access to equipment such as helicopter monsoon buckets
have significantly increased the chances of containing fires, compared with the ‘bucket
brigade’ of the early 20th century and the ‘telephone party line’ communications and fire
trucks of the mid 20th century.
Fire Seasons
A ‘restricted fire season’ is in place in the Waitakere Fire District every year between 1
December and 30 April. During this period it is illegal to light a fire in the open air without a
fire permit. The issuing of each permit includes an inspection of the site by one of Council’s
Rural Fire officers, and conditions are set to ensure the fire is properly controlled.
Following out-of-control and non-permitted fire events in the restricted fire season, an
investigation is generally carried out to determine causes. Prosecution and cost recovery action
may then be taken when deemed necessary.
Access to water for firefighting
Limited access to water for fire fighting purposes is
To help protect property in the
an issue in the area as there is no hydrant supply.
event of fire, rural residents need
Fire fighters need to either take water to the fire or
to consider fitting water tanks
find a local source.
A number of steel tank
with connections suitable for
reservoirs (static tanks) have been located at
portable fire fighting equipment.
strategic points in the Bethells/ Te Henga/
These special connections are
Waitakere Valley to provide water for fire fighting.
available from specialist fire
There are static tanks at Duffys Road, Te Henga
equipment suppliers such as
Road opposite Falls Road, Long Road and near the
Phillips and Smith (Glen Eden).
beach next to the wetland. Dams and swimming
pools on private land are useful for fire fighting, as are rainwater tanks. Rainwater tanks can
be fitted with special connections to enable fire fighting equipment to be connected.
Otherwise, in an emergency a pump is required to utilise the tank water, and that pump is
not, therefore, available to be deployed elsewhere at the scene.
PAGE 192
Conclusion - Fire
Fire is a hazard at Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley since, together with many of the
other coastal villages, many homes are nestled into regenerating native bush. However, in
the past 10 years, no damage to houses has been caused by vegetation fires. The area is
well supported by the Bethells Rural Fire Force with backup when required. There are a
number of ways in which the community can guard against fire hazard, including observing
the restricted fire season, choosing lower flammability native species for planting near the
house and ensuring that long, rank grass around the house is mown in the summer and
dead leaves and twigs removed. In addition, rainwater tanks can be fitted with special
connections to enable fire fighting equipment to be connected. Otherwise, in an emergency
a pump is required to utilise the tank water, and that pump is not, therefore, available to be
deployed elsewhere at the scene.
6.7.4 Accident and Medical Emergencies
The rural fire forces, as well as responding to fires, are trained in first response first aid, and
are often the first on the scene at local medical emergencies and motor vehicle accidents.
They assist police and ambulance staff, undertake animal rescue, and are available for
‘storm response’ (for example, roofs blown from houses). The fire forces also provide
support for local filming events where fire is involved.
Approximately one third of the rural fire force call-outs are vegetation fires, one third are
motor vehicle burnouts and the last third are motor vehicle accidents, medical call-outs and
special call-outs such as a search for a missing child or a horse stuck in a ditch.
6.7.5 Wind
The Bethells Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area is in the path of the prevailing westerly and
south-westerly winds from the Tasman. The incidence of frequent, strong, salt-laden winds is
much higher on the west coast than in other parts of the city. Strong and regular salt laden
winds create particular responses in vegetation resulting in wind-shaped tree canopies and
stunted tree heights, in the most extreme situations. They also put stress on many building
materials, causing them to deteriorate at a much faster rate than normal, and leading to
specific structural requirements.
PAGE 193
The map at Figure 72 gives an indication of the wind zones in the Bethells/Te
Henga/Waitakere Valley area.
The wind zones are used to define the structural
requirements for buildings in the area. Most of the area is in the Special Design Wind Zone,
the Very High Wind Zone or the High Wind zone.
Figure 72: Wind Zones
6.7.6 Sea Level Rise
Landcare Research (2008)49 noted that it is likely that sea level by Waitakere City will rise by
approximately 0.2 metres by 2050 and will continue to rise thereafter. The map at Figure 73
provides information on the elevation of the Bethells/Te Henga/Waitakere Valley area, to
indicate the area’s vulnerability to sea level rise. It would seem that no housing is impacted,
but that some areas surrounding the lower Waitakere River, and the Te Henga Wetland
itself, which are currently less than 3.3 metres above mean sea level, may eventually
become tidal. This would have a significant impact on the freshwater vegetation and
ecology of the wetland. However sea level rise to this extent is only likely to become a
concern in the very long term future.
49
Landcare Research 2008, Climate’s long-term Impacts on NZ Infrastructure: Waitakere City Case Study
Waitakere City Council Contract LC0708/122
PAGE 194
Figure 73: Map for Sea Level Rise Bethells / Te Henga / Waitakere Valley
Source: Landcare Research 2008
6.7.7 Rainfall and Flooding
Rainfall
Flooding is a result of high rainfall events.
The map at Figure 74, produced by Landcare Research, shows the mean annual rainfall
data from official rainfall gauges over the wider Waitakere area. The closest official rain
gauges are at the Waitakere Dam and at Waitakere Township. According to this map, the
Bethells/ Te Henga/ Waitakere Valley area falls within the band 1562.7mm to 1613.3mm per
year.
PAGE 195
Figure 74: Mean annual rainfall (mm) in Waitakere City
Bethells/ Te Henga
Source: Landcare Research 2008
A number of people in the Waitakere Valley have collected and recorded rainfall data at their
properties for various periods of time, some over many years, and this data has kindly been
made available for the purposes of this background report. The locations of these private
rain gauges are marked
Figure 75:
Location of rain data collection points
on the map at Figure
75. They refer to rain
data collected by:
A. Jack Colmar &
Linda Ruthe (Te
Aute Ridge Road
West)
B. Averil & Jonathon
Bateman (Bethells
Road)
C. Frank Blyth
(Bethells Road)
D. Greg Whitmer (the
ranger’s cottage,
Cascade Kauri
Park)
In addition, there is a
rain gauge at the
Waitakere Dam, marked as ‘E’ on the map.
PAGE 196
The full monthly data sets are attached at Appendix 11 and cover varying periods of time
between 1977 and 2009. This data has been amalgamated into annual totals, and set out in
the table at Figure 76. Data from the official rainfall gauge at the Waitakere Dam is also
included in the table (information only available for 2008 and 2009). Interestingly, once the
combined annual rainfall totals for sites A, B, C and D (excluding the dam) are averaged, the
resulting average annual rainfall is 1513mm per year, significantly lower than would be
indicated by the Landcare (2008) rainfall map at Figure 74.
Figure 76
Annual Rainfall (mm) at five Sites in the Waitakere Valley 1977 – 2009
Colmar (A)
Bateman (B)
Blyth (C)
Whitmer (D)
Waitakere
Dam (E)
1977
1284
-
1555
-
-
1978
1313.5
-
1502
-
-
1979
1718.5
-
1832.5
-
-
1980
1367.5
-
1479.5
-
-
1981
1480.5
-
1543
-
-
1982
1060.5
-
1243
-
-
1983
1341
-
1363
-
-
1984
1609
-
1619
-
-
1985
1386.5
-
1641.5
-
-
1986
1387
-
1834
-
-
1987
1436
1458
1706
1561
-
1988
1480
1558
1722
1749
-
1989
1490
1545
1798
1896
-
1990
1395.5
1039
1656.5
1756.2
-
1991
1399
1481
1613
1912
-
1992
1426
1669
1735
1957
-
1993
1138
1290
1382
1399
-
1994
1209
1278
1480
1566
-
1995
1783
1726
2139
-
-
1996
1857
1908
2057
-
-
1997
1420
1513
1708
-
1998
1458.5
1572
1750
-
-
1999
1440.5
1505
-
-
-
2000
1140
1396
-
-
-
2001
1532.5
1532
-
-
-
2002
1380
1310
-
-
-
2003
1497.5
1580.5
-
-
-
2004
1410.5
1461
-
-
-
2005
1211.5
1304
-
-
-
2006
1352
1317
-
-
-
2007
1283
1256
-
-
-
2008
1488
1546
-
-
1896.4
2009
1344
1245
-
-
1814
This annual rainfall data has then been graphed at Figure 77. The results indicate that the
further east one moves up the Waitakere Valley, the greater is the rainfall. The annual totals
at Jack Colmar’s property (the furthest west in the valley) are generally consistently lower
than the totals for any of the others, with Greg Whittmer’s data for the Cascades showing the
highest rainfall (together with the two results for the Waitakere Dam).
PAGE 197
Figure 77
Annual Rainfall: Five Sites in the Waitakere Valley
2500
1500
1000
Colmar (A)
Bateman (B)
500
Blyth (C)
Whitmer (D)
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
1977
2004
Waitakere Dam (E)
0
2003
Annual Rainfall (mm)
2000
Year
Numbers of interest from the Colmar monthly rainfall data set are:
Driest year:
1982 (1060.5mm)
Wettest year:
1996 (1857mm)
Driest month:
January 1988 (9.5mm)
Wettest month:
March 1988 (341mm – Cyclone Bola)
The highest daily (24 hour) rainfall measurements, according to Jack, are:
7 March 1988 (Cyclone Bola)
100mm
23 June 1996
110mm
5 December 2009
110mm
Flood risk
The map at Figure 78 shows the extent of the biggest flood that would be expected to occur
along this stream in a 100 year timeframe (the 100 year average recurrence interval (ARI)
flood level). It should be noted that this map is based on contour level information, not on
cross-sectional information. The contour levels have been established by LIDAR scanning.
In rural areas, it has been found that the increased level of vegetation can disturb the
accuracy of the LIDAR levels, so that this map may not be entirely accurate.
PAGE 198
Figure 78: Rapid flood hazard mapping – 100 Year Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) floodplain
The map at Figure 78 does indicate that some housing, particularly in the Te Henga Coastal
Village, may be at risk in a very large flood. More frequent high rainfall events such as the
storm on 5th December 2009 when 110mm of rain fell in a 24 hour period, flood the
Waitakere River sufficiently to block lower lying stretches of Bethells Road. The enlarged
map of Bethells Road at Figure 79 allows the flood prone stretches of road to be seen.
Figure 79
Flood-prone areas of Bethells Road.
Since this road is the only access to many homes, flooding can cut access to and from the
community. It should be noted that extreme rainfall events are likely to become more
frequent under climate change, with impacts such as flooding and landslips, and risks to the
road network.
PAGE 199
The impacts of flooding can be reduced by ensuring that all new buildings are built above
flood levels, and by keeping the flood channels relatively clear to avoid exacerbating flooding
in the area. Works could also be undertaken to raise the level of Bethells Road, the single
access to much of the valley.
All new buildings including garages are required to be a minimum of 500mm above the 100year ARI flood level. This is the standard for all new development and the preferred target in
existing developed areas. For the protection of residents, property and the environment, no
new buildings are permitted within areas defined as 100-year ARI floodplains and flow paths,
and existing situations are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Willow control for flood risk amelioration
A major piece of work in relation to flood management in the Waitakere River Valley is the
control of willow in the river and wetland. If left unchecked, crack and grey willow will take
over the wetland, clogging the channels and waterways and potentially exacerbating flooding
of surrounding areas. For over ten years work has been undertaken in a joint project
between the Department of Conservation, Rodney District Council, ARC, and WCC to
control and eradicate willows, primarily for long term flood control, but also to protect the
very high ecological values and the scenic qualities – the varied textures and colours of the
native wetland plants.
All woody parts of crack willows (branch and trunk fragments, etc) can sprout when in
contact with the ground, and they should never be felled while still alive. Rather they should
be killed with herbicides and then left standing to allow native vegetation to grow underneath
them. The dead willows break down and become humus over time.
In most of the affected area, the project has used the drill and inject and direct foliar spraying
methods to kill the willow, and approximately 10,000 willow trees in the Waitakere River
have been killed in the past 4 years by these methods. However, both of these methods
require good access to each tree trunk. With drill and inject for example holes need to be
drilled all around the trunk. Direct foliar spraying is used on younger trees with stems too
small to drill and inject. These methods have been successful to date, except in the
Mokoroa Arm, a privately owned 153 hectare arm on the north-western side of the wetland,
which has 18 hectares of crack willow that is so dense that the boat cannot penetrate and
where many of the willows are pencil-thin and growing close together in large numbers.
Here, the drill and inject and direct foliar spraying methods cannot be used for practical and
safety reasons.
In February 2009 a trial was undertaken in the Mokoroa Arm to control crack willows using
helicopter spraying. The work involved six minutes of flying time to control 1.5 hectares of
willows. The willows and native plants within the trial area were monitored before the control
work, at one month afterwards, three months afterwards and eight months afterwards.
Monitoring and photos (shown in Figure 80) indicate no spray drift into unintended areas,
that cabbage trees extending through the canopy survived the work, and the flaxes are
looking very healthy. A report based on the monitoring is available on the Waitakere City
website at www.waitakere.govt.nz or from the Council.
PAGE 200
Figure 80
Photographs of the helicopter spraying trial area in the willow infested Mokoroa Arm, Te Henga Wetland.
The three photos are taken prior to the spraying operation, one month following and three months
following, in January 2009, March 2009 and May 2009.
Helicopter spraying trial area in the willow infested Mokoroa Arm, Te Henga Wetland, January 2010.
Following the success of this trial, it was anticipated that the treatment area would be
expanded to further areas in the Mokoroa Arm in the summer of 2009/20010, while the stem
inject and ground spray methods would continue to be used in accessible areas. However,
the planned spraying did not proceed during this season due to community concerns about
the potential for spray drift and its impacts on the health of humans, some businesses and
ecosystems in the area.
PAGE 201
Waitakere Dam Breach Inundation
The Waitakere Dam is deemed to be secure in events including the Probable Maximum
Flood (PMF) and the Maximum Credible Earthquake (MCE). The PMF has a return period in
excess of 1:100,000 years and the MCE is normally determined for a period of 1:10,000
years. On that basis, the chances of a dam break occurring and inundating the Te Henga
area are at least less likely than 1:10,000 years; that is, a breach of the dam is an extremely
unlikely event.
Water Care Services has mapped the inundation area were the Waitakere Dam to be
breached (refer Figure 81). Watercare notes that this is based on an extreme event, using
the best modelling available to the ARC in the early 1990s.
Figure 81
Inundation area in the event of a breach of the Waitakere Dam
Conclusion - Flooding
The most frequent and likely impact of flooding on the Waitakere Valley is the cutting of
vehicle access to much of the valley through flooding of low-lying portions of Bethells Road the single road access. The maps indicate that the lower lying parts of the Te Henga
Coastal Village may also be vulnerable to flooding in a 100 year ARI rain event. Breach of
the Waitakere Dam, an extremely unlikely event (at least less likely than 1:10,000 years)
would be catastrophic in terms of low-lying properties along the valley floor.
PAGE 202
Actions to avoid or mitigate the impacts of inundation include ensuring that all new buildings
are built above flood levels, and continuing with work programmes to keep the flood
channels and waterways relatively clear of vegetation, particularly willow. Works could also
be undertaken to raise the level of the flood prone parts of Bethells Road. Of major
importance is the continuing careful and regular checking and maintenance systems for the
Waitakere Dam.
6.7.8 Drownings
The often dangerous surf conditions and beach type
along this coastline combined with the lack
of
accessibility, proximity to large population numbers
and heavy recreational use of the coastline within the
study area, create consistent high-risk and contribute
to the high drowning figures.
Bethells Beach Surf Lifesaving Club
The Bethells Beach Surf Lifesaving Patrol was
incorporated in 1958. In 1963, ten people were
drowned on one horrific day and this motivated the
local and external community to assist in building a
stronger club. The existing club rooms were built in
1964, but were moved to the present location in 1976/7
to avoid encroaching sand. A lookout structure is
located on the beach front for surf surveillance. During
the summer months Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving
Patrol provides life guarding services to protect the
public visiting Bethells Beach. Volunteer lifeguards are rostered on every weekend and
public holiday between October and April with paid Regional Guards filling in the week days
during the peak Christmas period. The Club has an active Junior Surf program as well as
adult surf sports.
Coastal Drownings Report
The information in the table at Figure 82 is taken from the ‘Coastal Drownings Report’ of Surf
Life Saving, Northern Region, 2009. The Northern Region covers Waikato, Auckland and
Northland. Of the rescues made by northern region lifeguards in 2008-2009, the patrolled
beaches of Bethells, together with Piha, Muriwai and Raglan, accounted for the highest rate
of rescue incidents. Bethells has the second highest rate of drownings of beaches in the
Heritage Area.
PAGE 203
Figure 82
Coastal Drowning Deaths in Patrolled Beaches in the
Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area, 1999-2009
Patrolled beach
Piha
Bethells
Karekare
Number of deaths
14
8
5
In the Surf Life Saving Northern Region, swimming (37%) and angling (rock/cliff based
fishing) (30%) make up the most common coastal recreational drowning deaths. By contrast,
swimming and surfing are the most common non-fatal drowning (rescue) incidents. This
indicates that although surfers are commonly getting into trouble, they are not drowning,
which may be attributed to their flotation aids (surfboards) keeping them above water until
help can arrive. Similarly, these figures illustrate that no rock fishermen in trouble were
rescued alive, and are fatally drowning in large numbers. This can be attributed to a number
of factors creating a situation where rock fishermen are unable to remain afloat until help can
arrive, including:
•
•
•
Lack of flotation devices (lifejackets)
Heavy clothing/boots
Isolated locations (away from lifeguard areas)
The Coastal Drownings report indicates that people
drown due to a single or combination of the following
factors:
•
•
•
Ignorance, disregard or misunderstanding of the
hazard
They are uninformed or have unrestricted access
to the hazard
Because of a lack of supervision or surveillance
Drowning prevention strategies that have been
identified by surf life saving to address each of the
above four factors of drowning are:
•
•
•
•
•
Their inability to cope once in difficulty
Educate and inform
Provide warnings and deny access
Extend lifesaving services as required
Increase survival skills
Notices warning of the often treacherous conditions on this coast have been installed at the
main carpark at Bethells Beach and at the carpark at the entrance to the Bethells to Muriwai
coastal walkway, and a public telephone has recently been set up at the carpark (as there is
no cellphone reception in the area).
PAGE 204
Rock Fishing safety Programme
The ARC, in partnership with Surf Life Saving Northern Region, Watersafe Auckland
Incorporated (WAI), and Safe Waitakere, set up the rock fishing safety programme. Over
the past five years the rock fishing safety programme has been based around information
gathered from directly surveying rock fishers. The project team used this information to tailor
methods to best target rock fishers with safety information. A key component has been the
employment of multi-lingual rock fishing safety advisors to directly engage and survey the
rock fishers. They have been supported by the development of multi-lingual safety
brochures, installation of specific safety signage, discount vouchers for lifejackets, point of
sale promotions at fishing stores, high profile media stories, and over the last two years the
installation and trial of angel rings.
Conclusion - Drownings
Statistics show that despite summer patrols by the Bethells Beach Surf Lifesaving Club,
there have been eight deaths by drowning at Bethells in the decade 1999 – 2009. Most are
swimmers or people fishing from the rocks. Warning signage and a telephone have been
provided at the carparks accessing the beach, and a rock fishing safety programme has
been initiated. Other public education/ information opportunities need to be created to
reduce these fatalities.
PAGE 205
PAGE 206