We are writing to give you an update of planned activities at 3 Stafford Street (site of temporary accommodation for Westport flood impacted residents).
As you are aware, there has been a high level of community interest in this project, particularly from neighbouring properties. We have taken on board your feedback and suggestions. The Flood Recovery Team will endeavour to provide you with regular updates to keep you in the loop around time frames for planned work on the site.
Activities on site next week:
- Laings Property Limited; who transported the houses to the site, will return next week to complete the piling and secure the houses onto their piles.
- The first two Kainga Ora houses at the South end of the section are being shifted East from the existing 6m setback, a further 3 meters, to a 9m setback from the West side neighbours boundary. The other three houses will remain on the 6m setback line.
- As discussed & agreed with neighbours, the houses will be repositioned so decks are North facing.
- There will be some traffic movement to and from the site. This will include the arrival of a crane to reposition the houses. As the timber piles need to be concreted in, there will be additional activity from concrete trucks coming to and from the site.
Once this step has been completed, further work is planned as follows:
- Connection to horizontal services (power, waste water drainage and water supplier pipe) is planned in four to six weeks’ time. These services will now be installed along the West side boundary, in lieu of the East side. A variation to the current Building Consent exemption for the original scope of work has been submitted to BDC.
- Landscaping is also being planned. Initial fencing to the main boundaries, hardfill car-parking, timber decks and clothes lines will be installed so flood affected residents can move into the homes prior to Christmas. Further landscaping and planting will continue into the new year.

One of the concerns raised by neighbours was around possible contamination on site. This has been checked during the site preparation, when a thin layer of vegetation was removed from the site to enable the establishment of a hardfill surface. There were no contaminated materials found during the site preparation work.
If you would like further information about the timing of any of these activities, contact Rick Barry via email at bdc.rick@bdc.govt.nz.