TONY ORMAN
Recent heavy rains and subsequent floods has resulted in damage to Marlborough Sounds roads, farms and resident and holiday homes. A key issue is the Kenepuru Road vital access for all Kenepuru property owners.
Positive discussion and certainty as to the future are seen as paramount. Andrew Caddie, president of the Kenepuru and Central Sounds Residents Association, confirmed they were in close and on-going discussions with the Marlborough District Council over the pace and direction of recovery of the vital Kenepuru Road after the damaging and widespread August storm event.
“Of real concern are suggestions that unspent money from the July 2021 event earmarked for the Kenepuru Road would be transferred to other areas. It seems grossly inequitable to expect the Kenepuru community to bear the consequences of the very slow progress of Marlborough Roads in sorting out a programme of works and design for the three or four significant event sites on the road,” he said.
He said it is early days yet as to as to the shape of the final outcome for the Kenepuru road network after the latest flooding event.
“However, I am sure the local farming community will be very concerned that parts of Kenepuru Road may be designated as off-limits entirely to light truck movements. We will continue to push for at least single lane light truck access across the length of the road. The Association has been, and will continue to, advocate for improved barge and associated infrastructure to better service the Kenepuru,” said Andrew Caddie.
The south side of the Kenepuru Road had particularly been hard hit. One Pelorus Sound farmer spoken to said the current three hour barge trip for stock, especially prime, was not sustainable. Unloading and reloading stock raised both farming viability and animal welfare issues.
“There needs to be realistic planning and a definite long term cost-effective solution,” he said.
Among short term improvements to alleviate the situation is more barging sites to reduce barging time for stock to less than an hour. Farmers did say that the Marlborough District Council had a greater appreciation of the difficult situation for locals and in particular farmers.
“This time it’s better. They’ve learnt from last time,” he said.
The Marlborough District Council was approached and released the following status of Sounds roads:-The Anakiwa Road open to Tirimoana for residents only. Kenepuru Road, from the Moetapu Bay turnoff Moetapu Bay Road is closed for the length of the road. Centre Valley Road is closed 520m from the start of the road, beyond the final residence. French Pass Road is open to residents only from SH 6 through to Cissy Bay Turnoff. Closed about 3km before French Pass township. Te Towaka –Port Ligar Road now open to residents only.
