Milford Residents Association

Healthy Waters Update on Wairau flood prevention and home buyout and removal processes:

Wairau FAQs May 2025 FINAL.pdf

Milford Residents Assn Email Newsletter sent 8 May 2025

Dear Members and Friends

Tuesday, 20 May 2025, 7pm, Milford Residents Association Inc. AGM at St Paul's Church, Otakau Road, Milford

Note: Change of guest speaker. Councillor Richard Hills will speak about the Wairau Catchment Flood Prevention Plans, give an update on the buyouts of local homes and home removals and address concerns about building developments on flooded land. There will be a Q&A session and Richard will stay after the meeting to answer further questions.

Agenda attached. MRA AGM Agenda 20 May 2025.pdf Further documents including the new Milford Residents Assn Constitution for adoption will be circulated in the week beginning 12 May 2025.

If you appreciate the efforts of your MRA committee and get value from our newsletters, please do renew your subscription to help us cover our costs, such as, website development and maintenance, email service provider, venue rental and other items. Annual subs are $20 per household and $10 per individual. Renew online at Milford Residents Assn Inc 12-3050-0484393-00 (please give your name and address in the reference) or, if you are not a member and would like to join, please fill in the online application form and pay as above. https://milford.org.nz/webform/membership-form. When paying, please email your details or any questions to: chairs@milford.org.nz

Wairau Catchment Flood Prevention and Storm Recovery

Healthy Waters have just released this document which answers many of the questions people regularly ask about the flood prevention plans for Wairau/Milford, plans for the golf course and the buyout and removal of homes. Be sure to read this: Wairau FAQs May 2025 FINAL.pdf

Significant Meeting on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, Meet the team working on flood resilience in Wairau Valley, 6.30pm-8.00pm at Eventfinda Stadium (Kings Room), Argus Place, Wairau Valley

Auckland Council and Central Government are making significant investments to reduce flood risk in the Wairau Valley community. Funding for design has been approved for the first stages of a blue-green network to significantly reduce flood risk for hundreds of homes in the Wairau Valley area.

Auckland Council's Healthy Waters team are hosting an information evening at Eventfinda Stadium to continue discussions on this group of flood resilience projects. You will have a chance to hear from representatives from the project team on the next steps following funding approval received in April, where they have got to so far and where there are opportunities for the community to be involved.

Following a panel discussion with project team members you will be invited to sit down at tables with the team, ask questions and speak directly to the experts. https://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/regions/auckland/locations/north-shore

Milford Storm Recovery Project: We had two successful short and sweet events last week. Around 50 people attended our session in the MSCC Hall on Tuesday evening from 6pm to 7pm and shared their experiences during the floods and their ideas for Milford in the future. Another 50 came for Coffee and a Chat at Nile Reserve on Sunday morning. Thanks to everyone who contributed their ideas and feedback last week. We'll keep you informed about further events coming up soon.

Short Notice. Give your views by 11th May on the Devonport-Takapuna Local Active Modes Plan (LAMP), being developed by Auckland Transport.

Not much time left to have your say. Share your ideas on local walkways, bike lanes and public transport. Further information here: https://haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/dev-taka-lamp Email: activemodesplanning@at.govt.nz with your insights

Safe routes to schools, shops, and parks
Better crossings and footpaths
Connections to public transport

Forrest Hill Wastewater Upgrade (by Watercare)

The Watercare team is working on the Forrest Hill Wastewater Upgrade and will be doing surveys in the area to support the design work for the project which will upgrade the existing wastewater network from the Alma Road Pump Station, Milford, to Richards Avenue, Forrest Hill. The project will also include additional underground storage to help manage heavy flows during wet weather.

Geotechnical investigations will take place from 5 May to 21 May and will involve drilling to collect core samples, investigation of ground water levels and determining the location of existing underground services. See map of the proposed (but not finalised) network route. Forrest Hill WW_23_04_25_DRAFT.jpg

Expected community impacts:

Investigations take place between 7am-5pm Mon to Fri, occasional Saturdays
There may be some noise generated. Noise levels will be kept to a minimum and in accordance with Auckland Council requirements.
Temporary fencing may be set up around some investigation sites.
Watercare do not anticipate disrupting access to any properties. If there is a need, the property owner will be notified in advance.
There may be temporary traffic management changes to roads.

Pupuke Birdsong Project - Haratua Panui / May News. Help out in our local parks and reserves. Check out Stream Care at Lyford Reserve, 17 May, and Advanced Predator Trapping Techniques Course, Monday, 12 May. Further details here: https://mailchi.mp/5d9170d18369/untitled-9678160?e=dde2ba5092

Auckland Art Gallery, Exhibition, A Century of Modern Art, from the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio, USA. 7 June to 28 September 2025. This major exhibition for Auckland is billed as a sweeping survey of the visionary painters who transformed modern art and whose legacy continues to inspire new generations.

Early Bird tickets discounted until Sunday, 18 May.

Save yourself the fare to Toledo and let the 82 bus from Milford drop you 200 metres from the Art Gallery door. https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/exhibition/a-century-of-modern-art?utm_source=sfmc&utm_term=A+Century+of+Modern+Art&utm_content=99497&utm_id=178a95fb-fc3a-4cb4-98b3-5387ca749556&sfmc_activityid=7307ddfc-9572-4f80-a89e-b5f1b4e8e879&utm_medium=email

Following is Milford Residents Assn newsletter to members dated 12 April 2025.

Dear Milford Residents members and friends

This is a bumper newsletter full of news and notices. We have grouped items together so you can identify them more easily.

Milford Residents Assn Annual General Meeting, Tuesday, 20 May 2025, 7.00pm at St Paul's Church, Otakau Road, Milford. Guest speaker will be Jess Donaldson of Auckland Emergency Management speaking about the newly released local emergency response plan.

If you appreciate the efforts of your MRA committee and get value from our newsletters, please do renew your subscription to help us pay our operating costs of website development and maintenance, email service provider, venue rental and other items. Annual subs are $20 per household and $10 per individual. Renew online at Milford Residents Assn Inc 12-3050-0484393-00 (please give your name and address in the reference) or, if you are not a member and would like to join, please fill in the online application form and pay as above. https://milford.org.nz/webform/membership-form. Any queries to chairs@milford.org.nz

Invitation to hear Mayor Wayne Brown, 30 April 2025, 7.00pm at Takapuna Senior Citizens Hall, 5 The Strand.

It is AGM season and we have been asked to invite any interested Milford people to hear Mayor Wayne Brown speak at the Takapuna Residents Association Annual General Meeting. There will be brief AGM formalities followed by Mayor Brown's address. Guests welcome.

Wednesday, 30 April 2025, 10.30am, St Johns Workshop for one hour teaching CPR and how to use a defibrillator. All welcome for a gold coin donation to St John. At MSCC Hall, entry from Kitchener Rd car park to the rear of New World Supermarket.

Flood Update

Community-led Storm Recovery Project Tuesday, 29 April, 6.00pm. Community meeting in MSCC Hall. All welcome, family friendly, light refreshments. Create our shared vision of Milford in the future by contributing your ideas and enthusiasm to our community storm recovery project. Mark the date in your diary. Further information to follow shortly.

Property categorisations

An important local milestone has been reached for those people who experienced the very worst flooding on 27 January 2023. Auckland Council advises that all categorisations in the Devonport-Takapuna local board area have been completed. The local numbers are:

Final number of Category Three homes Milford (141), Sunnynook (9), Forrest Hill (9)

Houses removed to date Milford (7), Sunnynook (1)

This information leads into the next topic of Healthy Waters' major flood prevention plan for the Wairau Catchment.

Wairau Catchment Flood Prevention scheme:

Milford Residents members (Debbie Dunsford, Norma Bott and Frances Hague) addressed the Transport Resilience & Infrastructure committee of Auckland Council) on Thursday, 4 April to fully support the progression of the business case for Healthy Waters' Wairau flood prevention scheme. Other non-committee speakers meeting were consultants for the Takapuna Golf Course with their 18 hole proposal and a joint address by the Kaipatiki and Devonport-Takapuna Local Boards. Many of you may have read quite full accounts of the presentations and following debate in the Herald, Stuff and on Radio NZ.

Everyone spoke in a reasoned and conciliatory way. In summary, there was agreement:

The Wairau catchment, especially the Milford area, was one of the very worst affected areas in the 2023 floods.
The protection of people's lives and property and the prevention of future flooding on the scale of 27 January 2023 are essential.
If there is a design that gives the flood prevention required without an increase in costs or time and retains an 18 hole course, that would be a win-win solution.
MRA was very clear that the Milford community did not want delays to this project which is essential to solving the long-term problem of Wairau flooding.

At the end of the meeting, councillors voted unanimously for the business case for Wairau Catchment flood prevention to be advanced AND for Healthy Waters' consultants to assess the golf course proposal promptly for its suitability.
Special thanks to Councillor Richard Hills for his supporting our request to address the committee, to Storm Recovery Specialist Neesha Bremner, and to Commodore Andrew Robertson of Milford Cruising Club and Bronwyn Bound of Sunnynook Community Centre for their presence on the day.

You can see the formal presentation (text and slideshow) by Milford Residents Assn here: MRA Presentation to TRIC 3 April 2025.pdf Milford Residents Assn Presentation.pdf.

Brian Byrnes Reserve

Emergency drainage and stream clearing works at Brian Byrnes Reserve have been completed by Healthy Waters. The site has been reinstated with disturbed areas being stabilised using hay mulch and hydroseeding/grass seed. Replanting of affected vegetation has been undertaken and the site is safe and stable. Fencing is still up to ensure the reseeded grass has a chance to grow without being trampled. Fences will be removed asap.

Auckland Transport Update on Inga Road Bridge Project

From 14-25 April, weather permitting, AT will be doing some underground site investigations including geotechnical and soil samples on the approaches to the planned new bridge. Traffic management will be in place during this time. If you have any questions of the Project Team, contact Vincent Evans-Walsh, 09 930 5090, or projects@at.govt.nz. More detail here: Inga Road Bridge - Works Notice - Final.pdf

Auckland's water supply situation - not a drought yet, but water levels are low

See Watercare's Water Supply Update dated 20 March. They have helpfully provided this information and advice in letter format. Water Supply Update.pdf

That's plenty to be going on with at the moment. We hope you all have wonderful school holidays, a great Easter break and the chance to observe ANZAC Day.

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