Buy-out of private properties affected by slips Debate

Environmental Benefits - Sustainability

Option 2

The comments supporting Option 2 emphasize the need for a sustainable approach to managing properties in hazard-prone areas, suggesting that continuous investment in unstable regions may not be a viable long-term solution. Residents are concerned about how the buy-out strategy aligns with the broader climate resilience plans of the council, highlighting the importance of integrating these efforts to address future sustainability challenges effectively. There is also a call for a national strategy to manage development in flood-prone zones, stressing the need for proactive measures to prevent new developments in these high-risk areas to ensure long-term environmental sustainability.

Table of comments:

Point No	Comment
773.2	Certain land and housing is built in non-sustainable locations. This requires hazards to be evaluated and agree in the retreat vs. continued shoring up of instability and risk prone areas.
864.2	What will the impact of the buyout be on rates?It would be helpful to understand the buy out in the context of the council's wider climate resilience strategy.
987.2	What will the impact of buy outs be on rates?We also note that climate resilience is not a topic of consultation, it would be helpful to understand the buy out in the context of the councils wider climate resilience strategy as future buy out's are rapidly becoming unsustainable.
1324.2	The draft eligibility principles need wider consultation.  Hiding them within this already daunting process for many ratepayers is not good enough.  It needs to be clear that this is a one off.  I think too many people are still buying property in areas that will flood believing that someone will buy them out.  It will be unaffordable.  Serious engagement with central government is needed to come up with a national strategy.  Also Council needs to ensure you have the power to stop new development in areas that are already highlighted as future flood zones (due to sea level rising or river flooding).  In the meantime we need to move forward and give these ratepayers certainty and also accept the money from central government.