Havelock North flood-hit homes now Category 1

Properties categorised 2c in Havelock North in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle have been recategorised to 1 – a major milestone in the cyclone recovery work.

Forty-two former 2c properties have been moved to category 1, the lowest flood risk category.

Affected property owners were advised of the recategorisation this week by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC), after HBRC approved Hastings District Council’s flood mitigation plans for Havelock North.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the recategorisation was excellent news.

“We know that these 2c homeowners have been through a lot since the cyclone. The recategorisation will give them certainty and reassurance for the future and is the result of significant work by our team to develop flood mitigation options for Havelock North. The team has done a fantastic job.”

The project required obtaining the necessary land access agreements, designing project plans, construction of access ramps and channel widening, as well as planning and carrying out ongoing maintenance.

Funding to complete the project had been secured through an integrated package between Hastings District Council, HBRC, and Central Government.

Mrs Hazlehurst said the 2c work was an important part of the broader Karanema Havelock North programme, where a wide range of activity was underway to upgrade the streams and dams system.

The Havelock North community would see 2c-specific construction work in action over the coming months.

In the first phase an access ramp was being built at the end of Plassey Street allowing work to begin on retaining walls, bridge upgrades, further access ramps, stream widening, pipe upgrades and reconstructing a weir along and in the Mangarau Stream. This work is expected to begin in July and take approximately 12 months to complete.

The 2c categorisation reflected that the properties had an unacceptable risk of future flooding and required community-level interventions to manage the risk. The reclassification to 1, however, does not guarantee properties won’t be impacted by weather events in the future. To find out more about planning for an emergency including flooding, visit: https://www.hbemergency.govt.nz/hazards/

Property files are being updated to reflect the change to category 1.

For more information on the Karanema Havelock North Streams and Dams visit: www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/services/water/stormwater/hndamsstreams/

3 July 2025

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