A major slip along Anaura Road has cut off three households and will take several months to repair.

Journeys Acting Operations Manager John Tamoua says due to an extremely wet winter, the large slip has blocked Anaura Road at the 11km mark and dropped the road by 8m.

Mr Tamoua says engineers, land-use and geotechnical experts have been to the site.

“They’ve advised us that placing earthmoving equipment on this global failure site on Anaura Road will be unsafe, as ongoing rainfall is reactivating the site and it continues to move.”

Mr Tamoua says he understands the urgency from the community to get this road opened but due to the extremely saturated site conditions, coupled with the soft geology in this area, it’s too risky to allow contractors to work on the site.

“We’ve spoken with the residents who have been impacted and let them know a temporary access track for 4WD motorbikes is being developed that will bypass this global failure.

“Drone survey footage will also be used to update existing plans when alternative routes were investigated ten years ago.”

Mr Tamoua says by the end of next week there will be a plan in place that can be given to the landowner to ask permission to access their land.

“This plan will also be given to Council’s regional team for consent approval.

“Our contractors will also be asking a local forestry contractor to peer review the project plan to gain their opinion.

“Subject to landowner approval and favorable weather conditions we hope to start construction in three weeks’ time.”

Mr Tamoua would like to thank Grant and Cooke, Land Development & Engineering (LDE) and Downer NZ for assisting Council to reopen this road.

“I’d also like to thank the residents who have been impacted by this. We are working hard to ensure access can be gained again in the safest way possible.”

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