Flood-prone housing could need scrapping says senior Auckland politician

Monday, 30 January 2023

The torrential rain has led to desperate scenes in West Auckland as flash flooding caused widespread chaos.

A senior west Auckland politician says some housing which has been repeatedly flooded may need to be bought from their owners and scrapped.

Former MP Chris Carter said there are several areas, such as the lower end of Waimoko Glen in Rānui and low-lying homes in Clover Drive Henderson which may not be able to be protected from future flooding.

Auckland is still recovering from unprecedented rainfall on Friday night, with more forecast in coming days.

Carter is chairman of council’s Henderson-Massey Local Board, and for 16 years was the MP for Te Atatu. He said he visited Waimoko Glen on Saturday.

* Auckland flooding: The longer road ahead to get region back to 'normal'

* Auckland floods: Kainga Ora residents yet to hear from agency after homes swamped

Safunga and Seve Uatea in their house on Clover Drive. The aftermath of intense flooding in Auckland.

“Five houses were flooded in 2021, so twice now and with water up to the ceiling this time” Carter said, of five homes built next to a loop in the Swanson Stream.

A second problematic block includes Kāinga Ora homes among 55 properties on Clover Drive in Henderson, which Carter said was on a flood plain.

Footage at the height of the flood showed residents with water up to their necks, wading in Clover Drive after levels rose rapidly.

Aerial view of Waimoko Glen in Rānui, west Auckland where some homes have been flooded twice in two years.

“I think those at the end of Waimoko Glen would be difficult to mitigate (against future floods),” said Carter.

He said one resident in Waimoko Glen was extremely upset and had said people there would never be able to sell their homes.

Both areas were built in the 1980s and 1990’s, predating the formation of Auckland Council and some perhaps pre-dating the Waitākere City Council formed in 1989.

Carter said in some cases the answer may be for local or central government to buy the homes and demolish them, leaving the sites clear of housing.

Carter said people from those two areas comprised around half of those who turned up for shelter at the Kelston flood response centre.

Stuff visited Clover Drive on Saturday where residents Safunga and Seve Uatea were forced to swim from their property on Friday afternoon, battling against the flow of water by pulling themselves along fence posts.

On Saturday morning Safunga was picking through his possessions while at the back of the house, a silver hatchback was balanced at a precarious angle having been swept in from the road earlier on.

“We are trying to get some good stuff, put it in a bag and leave.”