Infrastructure / Local Council

Auckland's billion-dollar flood recovery programme

09:20 am on 18 May 2023

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Auckland's mayor Wayne Brown has proposed pushing forward with a billion-dollar flood-recovery programme for the city. 

The 'Making Space for Water' programme is being developed by the Council's Healthy Waters stormwater department, with the mayor saying it'll be rolled out over six years - instead of the 30 it would normally take.

Among the nine planned initiatives are things like daylighting streams, updating vulnerable bridges and culverts and better stormwater maintenance. 

It also mentions the need to work with property owners on engineering solutions, managed retreat and property acquisition - although the question of where the funding for this would come from is not settled.

Joining Kathryn is Matthew Bradbury - Associate Professor of landscape architecture at Unitec-Te Pūkenga and author of Water City: Practical Strategies for Climate Change.

Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver