30 Mar 09
The marina at Whangamata has been under construction for 7 months. The marina entrance is now being built with surfers questioning the integrity of the "weir".
It seems is that Heb contractors are not following a consistent
construction path at the marina entrance way. In effect, it seems
like an ad hoc engineering approach is being taken. Logic would
suggest that an outline of the profile is done, then the base
construction completed, followed by application of the top to the
base. It seems that this is not how progress is being made as parts
of the partially completed structure are sometimes having to be
dismantled and re-engineered.
The core of the walls of the marina is shaped sand which has then
been covered in a crust of rock. Outside of the artificial basin,
next to the entrance a weir needs to be constructed (according to
plans given to the Environment Court). This is where the boats are
meant to enter and exit the marina. The purpose of the weir is to
divert water from the natural channel across the marina entrance.
This is meant to create flow and enough water depth to prevent
boats from running aground. No obvious signs of excavation for this
are evident as yet.
This is one of the concerns raised by surfers about the marina
development. Surfer witness, Paul Shanks, in his submission to the
Environment Court in 2000 questioned that the document of the
marina developers called an Assessment of Environmental Effects was
deficient in its detail about the "weir". Through the Court, Mr
Shanks asked where in New Zealand or in other parts of the world
does a weir such as this exist - so he can go and see one
(supposedly) working. Mr Shanks said he could not see how this
structure could work or do what it is supposed to do. In the Court
the marina developers said it would work. Judge Bollard, principle
Judge of the Environment Court agreed with the developers.
The design engineer of the marina is Grant Pierce of Tompkin and
Taylor, who gave evidence in the High Court of New Zealand in 2006,
that the excavation of 277,000 cu meters over 35 years would not
affect the wave quality of the sand bar at the entrance of the
Whangamata estuary. The jury is still well and truly out on
this.