Climate Change Damage Prompts New Plymouth Call For Public Say

Friday, 18 April 2025, 1:18 pm
Article: Craig Ashworth - Local Democracy Reporting

New Plymouth residents have a month to pitch in on how the district deals with increasing extreme weather.

With severe storms, coastline erosion, landslides, droughts and other extreme weather on the rise over the past decade, New Plymouth District Council is working out what to do.

The council’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan will set out how it prepares for and manages the impacts to try and protect people, property and ecosystems.

“We’re asking residents for their thoughts on how we should tackle these challenges,” said climate change response lead Greg Stephens.

Feedback closes on May 15 with details available at npdc.govt.nz/haveyoursay.

Stephens said New Zealand now sees unpredictable weather year-round.

In summer two years ago, Severe Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland floods caused extensive damage and costs.

Those sorts of impacts needed to be considered when planning for New Plymouth, he said.

“It’s seven years since Cyclone Gita smashed a pipe that took drinking water to about 10,000 homes in New Plymouth and the north of the district, triggering a mammoth emergency response to keep our residents supplied.”

Stephens said it was crucial to have people’s input in setting priorities in the plan.

“A changing climate can also provide opportunities to act and build a future where people can thrive [despite] a changing environment.”

NPDC’s 10-year plan, up to 2034, includes a budget for climate change planning of $640,000 a year.

Ministry for the Environment data shows that by 2050 New Plymouth could have almost seven per cent more winter rainfall each year, but with around three per cent less rainfall in spring and autumn.

Heavy rain events could be 7.5 per cent heavier.

New Plymouth is predicted to have around 17 extra days a year above 25 degrees, with the hottest day each year two degrees hotter and nine fewer windy days.

The district’s coastline is over 100km long, with coastal communities in Ōakura, New Plymouth, Bell Block, Waitara, Onaero, Urenui and Tongapōrutu all exposed to rising seas.

Planting our Place aims to get native vegetation cover over 10 percent of the urban area and the council is spending $600,000 over three years to boost the budget of a high-frequency bus trial.

An extra $100,000 has been added to the district’s Disaster Recovery Reserve and this annual deposit will rise to $1 million by year 10.

LDR is local body reporting co-funded by RNZ and NZ on Air

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