There has been a lot of discussion recently about the fencing being installed in front of recently completed mitigation works along the Sumner Lyttelton Corridor. We’d like to help clear up some of the confusion by outlining the process up until now, including the two public consultations we’ve held.
The project – goal
Firstly, it’s important to understand what we’re aiming to do in the Sumner Lyttelton Corridor programme. The goal is to mitigate the geohazards (rockfall, cliff collapse, and landslides) to road users and return this important link from Christchurch to Sumner and Lyttelton. This means that many decisions within this project have to be led by technical specialists to complete the work in the safest, most effective way. Wherever possible, we have asked for community feedback, however, there has always been a limit to how these comments have been able to influence the project, as a number of decisions have had to been made for technical safety reasons by specialists who are qualified to make them.
First consultation – November 2015
In November 2015, we asked the community to have their say on how some of the Corridor's mitigation works could look. You can read the consultation booklet here.
This consultation focused on the work at the corner of Wakefield Avenue and Nayland Street, opposite where the new Sumner Community Facility and Library is being built. We sought feedback on how the rockfall bund would look, with engineers providing two options for consideration. Option one was a rock faced bund, where rock could be incorporated into the front of the baskets which form the bund. Option two was a ‘solid fence’ in front of the bund, where the bund would not be visible. In the consultation booklet, the image of option one showed a mesh style security fence in front of the bund, and text and images in other parts of the booklet showed and talked about the need for fencing to keep the public out of hazard zones around the mitigation works (such as bunds). We apologise if this point wasn’t made clear enough in the text on the page showing option one, that option one would
still include see-through security fencing to prevent people accessing the hazardous area behind the bund. With Option two being named ‘solid fence’ some people also mistakenly believed that this meant no fence in the other option.
During this consultation period 67 submissions were received. Of these submissions, 61 supported the option of a rock faced bund, no submitters supported the option of a solid fence in front of the bund, and six submitters did not indicate a preference. Taking that feedback into account, a decision was made to go ahead with the rock faced bund option.
Second consultation – June 2016
During the consultation, there were concerns raised about the security fencing planned along the Corridor route. The project team met with Councillors, members of the Hagley Ferrymead Community Board, and representatives of the Redcliffs Residents' Association and the Sumner Community Residents' Association in December 2015 to discuss these concerns.
At this meeting it was agreed that the hazard mitigation work must go ahead at that stage, given the life risk in relation to the road, the small window of summer conditions where the work can safely take place, and to avoid delays which will leave the shipping containers in place for longer.
But in response to these concerns, we then went out with a second consultation in June this year, seeking feedback on two options for the security fencing at mitigation sites along Wakefield Avenue and Main Road, pool style versus mesh style. The pool style was selected after receiving 86% support in the consultation. You can read the consultation booklet here.
The Council engaged contractors to undertake the fencing and asked them to supply 2 metre high pool style fencing. The fence installed was the only product available that is locally manufactured and 2 metres high. It only comes with the spear top as a stock item. Local manufacture is important as we may need to replace panels in the future due to damage and we needed to be able to quickly source matching panels to ensure the area remains safe. We have used this fencing as it is aluminium, so won't rust, and is locally manufactured.
The pool-style fencing being installed providing all the benefits outlined in the consultation - being difficult to climb, some transparency so people can see behind the fencing, and minimal maintenance.
Planting is planned for many of the sites which will also give a more natural appearance, and make the fencing less conspicuous. This will be done early next year after summer, for maximum chance of plant survival.
Decision making
We are sorry if there has been confusion and angst around some of the decisions about the fencing. We make every effort in our communications and consultations to be clear in what we are doing, why we are doing it, and the decisions people can influence. We assure you there has never been any attempt to intentionally mislead anyone.
Throughout these two consultation processes, many people expressed that they didn’t want any security fencing in these areas, or wanted the fencing to be lower. All through this work programme, our focus on safety has been unwavering. Security fencing is being installed for safety reasons, because the areas beyond are hazardous areas, where the hazard presents a risk to life. Council staff have made the decision on the fence height based on safety, and the purpose of the fence, which is to keep people out of the restricted areas. Where fencing is placed in front of a bund, this is because the bunds are easily climbable, which presents great risk, in someone falling from the bund, and means people could easily climb the bund to access the hazardous area behind it. The decision to install the fencing, and the fencing height, have been made by the Council based on expert advice. They are
decisions based on safety, and not decisions that the public can feed into.
The Sumner Lyttelton Corridor programme is a highly complex, and costly project. To date, it has been delivered safely, and on schedule. Many residents are thrilled to see the progress that has been made on this crucial roading network, and the care and consideration that has gone into making the mitigation first and foremost effective, but also aesthetically pleasing. We look forward to works progressing on the Lyttelton side, and moving closer towards seeing the entire corridor re-opened.
Dave Adamson, Christchurch City Council General Manager, City Services
