The long-running debate over securing permanent access to the Amberley Beach Golf Course has reached a crucial turning point, with the Hurunui District Council voting narrowly in favour of a proposed $1.4 million road extension.
The proposal, which originated with the Amberley Beach Golf Club three years ago, was backed by a 5-4 vote, with two councillors abstaining. The decision now clears the path for the Council to begin negotiating necessary land purchases and prepare a tender to extend Griersons Avenue.
The extension is deemed vital for the golf club, whose current access is under threat from coastal erosion.
Key Details of the Decision
The Chosen Option: Extension of Griersons Avenue (the option favoured by the Golf Club).
Estimated Cost: Less than $1.4 million, down significantly from the original $3 million estimate, thanks in part to the design efforts of golf club volunteers.
Additional Benefits: The new road will also provide public access to the Waimaiaia 899 Reserve, the mouth of the Waipara River, and the northern beach.
Funding: The project is expected to be loan funded, with new funding from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency deemed unlikely.
Council Chief Executive Hamish Dobbie estimated the total cost, including land acquisition and construction, would be under $1.4 million. The Council has already obtained a resource consent from Environment Canterbury for the works, including provision for two culverts over wetlands.
Division Over Alternatives
The Council’s vote followed a report commissioned in September that compared various road access options and included community engagement.
Staff had recommended a western alignment to the north of the golf course, which was suggested to be cheaper and offer greater longevity. However, the golf club strongly opposed this alternative, warning it could result in the loss of access to its clubhouse and the effective use of up to three of its 18 holes.
Councillors Robbie Bruerton and Dave Hislop argued it was time to move forward after a three-year process, noting the club’s involvement had dramatically reduced the project cost.
“We’ve been looking at this for three years and the golf club has been working on this with the council,” said Councillor Bruerton. “We’ve managed to get the costs down from half of the original estimate.”
Concerns and Abstentions
The decision was not unanimous, with some councillors expressing serious reservations:
Vince Daly argued the Griersons Ave extension goes against the council’s Amberley Beach Coastal Adaptation Plan, which involved purchasing land for the possible future relocation of the beach village.
Tom Davies expressed concern that the road could become “a road to nowhere” if the golf club’s lifespan proved shorter than that of the new road.
Both Councillor Davies and Mayor Marie Black abstained from the vote.
Construction Timeline
Golf club members Paul Wylie and Bruce Yates had presented to the meeting, urging the Council to begin work by the end of February. Yates highlighted the club’s “lot of voluntary labour,” noting its 300 members have an average age in their late 50s.
However, Chief Executive Hamish Dobbie tempered expectations, stating that the tender is unlikely to be issued before Christmas, making a February construction start date improbable. The Council must also consider the reserve status of Department of Conservation land, though Dobbie suggested obtaining a licence to occupy could expedite this process.
