Million dollar views, unliveable homes: Anger at forced acquisition of 34 Bay of Plenty properties

Friday, 15 December 2017

Houses in Matata, in the Bay of Plenty, have been declared unliveable as part of a 'managed retreat' following Cyclone Cook and Debbie.

They may have million dollar views but 34 properties in Matata have been labelled unliveable by Whakatane District Council.

Council voted nine to two on November 14 to declare the houses unliveable as part of a 'managed retreat'.

Anne Smith's house of 30 years is it risk.

In 2005 a torrential downpour washed boulders through the Awatariki stream causing more than $20 million worth of damage. Fearful of the same event occurring again council decided to remove residents from the area.

But residents were told after the flood the area was safe which has caused confusion.

Denise Smith says her mother Anne has lived in Matata 30 years and does not want toleave.

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Anne Smith has lived in Matata for close to thirty years and does not want to be forced out of her home.

'We were told by the Whakatane District Council five years after the flood it was safe to rebuild our homes,' she said.

'So I rebuilt the home and have been happy here ever since.'

Smith said they have received an offer for their house from Whakatane District Council but says it is far too low to consider.

'I had an offer on my house a few years ago and was offered $650,000 for it,' she said.

'I was not wanting to move. The offer from the council is much less than that. I told them where would I go with that?'

Smith's house is a simple two bedroom home nestled near multi-storey houses with expansive yards worth much more than her smaller property.

Across the road Wayne and Victoria Irwin face losing their retirement home. They too were told it was safe to live at the address when they purchased their home in 2009.

'When we brought this house it was worth $390,000,' Wayne said. 'Now council is saying it is worth $280,000 even though we have made $120,000 worth of improvements to it.

'We were told it was safe to live in and we began doing renovations. We've stopped now as we wait and see what happens.'

Wayne said council was not looking at addressing the issue by making the rivers safer.

'They are not treating the risk,' he said. 'What we want is the right to live in our house and be left alone.'

Mayor Tony Bonne said Bay of Plenty Regional Council will need to sign off on their proposal to remove the homes.

A meeting is scheduled in February to discuss Matata with residents hopeful they can remain in their homes.