Policy 27: Strategies for protecting significant existing development from coastal hazard risk

Introduction

Learn strategies for protecting significant existing development from coastal hazard risk. Policy 27 from the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010.
  1. In areas of significant existing development likely to be affected by coastal hazards, the range of options for reducing coastal hazard risk that should be assessed includes:
    1. promoting and identifying long-term sustainable risk reduction approaches including the relocation or removal of existing development or structures at risk;
    2. identifying the consequences of potential strategic options relative to the option of “do-nothing”;
    3. recognising that hard protection structures may be the only practical means to protect existing infrastructure of national or regional importance, to sustain the potential of built physical resources to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations;
    4. recognising and considering the environmental and social costs of permitting hard protection structures to protect private property; and
    5. identifying and planning for transition mechanisms and timeframes for moving to more sustainable approaches.
  2. In evaluating options under (1):
    1. focus on approaches to risk management that reduce the need for hard protection structures and similar engineering interventions;
    2. take into account the nature of the coastal hazard risk and how it might change over at least a 100-year timeframe, including the expected effects of climate change; and
    3. evaluate the likely costs and benefits of any proposed coastal hazard risk reduction options.
  3. Where hard protection structures are considered to be necessary, ensure that the form and location of any structures are designed to minimise adverse effects on the coastal environment.
  4. Hard protection structures, where considered necessary to protect private assets, should not be located on public land if there is no significant public or environmental benefit in doing so.
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