North End

Kawatiri Coastal Trail - Carter's Beach Westport

The scheme is divided into five main sections of stopbanks:

Lower Orowaiti, Upper Orowaiti, North End, Lower Buller (Wharf to Buller Bridge) and Upper Buller (SH67 from Buller Bridge to Nine Mile Road).

The North End stopbank is the most coastal of the stopbanks and includes the Floating Lagoon area.

North End stopbank dimensions

Length: approx. 3,400m

Height: Varies between 2.5 to 2.8m (depending on ground conditions)

Width at base: 20-25m

Width at crest: 4m

Earthen stopbank

Estimated construction dates Floating Lagoon: mid 2026

Balance of North End: Late 2026 to early 2027

(construction dates are subject to consenting)

North End section

Floating Lagoon (part of North End)  

 The Floating Lagoon area is part of the North End stopbank and is the first part planned for construction.

Complete: Preliminary design and initial geotech investigations. Removal of vegetation around the smaller existing stopbank.

Current status: Geotech investigations for the main stopbank are ongoing. Consultants Davis Ogilvie are commencing work on the final geotechnical design report for the Floating Lagoon stopbank. They completed the initial geotechnical design report. Design needs to allow for high groundwater levels.

The peer review of the detailed site investigation (DSI) and a leachate investigation is proceeding and close to completion. The DSI report has some ramifications on mitigating the contamination from historic railway material. This area also requires an archaeological investigation.

Estimated construction dates: Mid-late 2026 (subject to consenting)

What about the balance of the North End section? 

Complete: Preliminary design and site investigations.

Current status: Detailed planning and Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE) is underway.

Estimated construction dates: Mid 2026 – late 2026