Residents of Kenepuru and the central Sounds showed up to ask questions of council staff and leave feedback on the plans. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Marlborough Sounds residents are coming to grips with the council's plans to repair the damaged road network.
Those in the worst affected Kenepuru Sound have been told a balanced approach between rebuilding roads and developing marine infrastructure was needed.
At a public meeting in Waitaria Bay on Wednesday, residents of Kenepuru and the central Sounds showed up to ask questions of council staff and leave feedback on the plans.
Commercial beekeeper Robert Harper said Kenepuru Road needed to be reinstated so it could be used by trucks again and businesses could function properly.
The road has been closed to everyone except residents and emergency services in light vehicles only since last August's storm.
"The community needs a road, the community wants a road - it's just how do we make that happen," Harper said.
He said all options for funding it should be considered.
"Personally within our business we would be more than happy to see a rate increase if it means getting the road back, it's something that should go out to the community but it's certainly something that we should look at doing."
Richard Cunningham moved to the Sounds near Portage to retire several years ago, and now has a damaged road either side of his property.
"They say they're going to maintain the road and fix it, but we're just worried.
"Our area's got a marine focus and we just don't really think that's going to work for us because when you look at the documentation, they sort of think that Kenepuru has marine access, some lucky people have beach access, but most of us don't."
The Kenepuru community give feedback on the Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
The council is undertaking the Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study, in order to put a business case to the Government for funding to help with the rebuild.
Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor has said government investment in the recovery would be critical - as it could not be funded by ratepayers alone.
Portage resident Murray Robson said money needs to be spent on strengthening Kenepuru Road, now, before further weather events undermine it.
"Save the bit of road we've got so we don't lose it. There's two particular spots that need saving now, not later."
Neville Cunningham recently moved to Mahau Sound and said plans to develop his tourism business were on hold, until there was some certainty about access to his property.
He is not happy with the way the repair work has been handled.
"That's the major gripe is that with all the health and safety, consents and that the council have to put up with, it uses 50 per cent of the funding, gets wasted internally, and doesn't actually get onto the job."
Adrian Harvey has lived in Clova Bay for more than 60 years. A fifth generation resident, he said it is not the first time marine access has been suggested for the Kenepuru Sound.
"We had this discussion 20 years ago with Marlborough Roads about closing the road to truck and trailer units and they basically said that wasn't going to work because they'd have to spend $25 million in the port of Havelock 20 years ago, to be able to cater for the livestock and the trucks that were going through there."
Braden Moleta, a fourth generation sheep and beef farmer at Waitui, in Titirangi Bay said the plan was a step in the right direction.
He said farming over last two years, without trucks being able to use Kenepuru Road, had been a struggle.
They had two options for getting stock in and out of the farm - loading them onto a barge directly from a beach on their property in the outer Sounds, or relying on a "loyal local truckie" who was willing to drive his truck onto the barge.
"It's just a logistics issue now, not only having to deal with timing the meat processor and the truck coming to us, but also dealing with the availability of trucks and the barge and also the tides."
Moleta said they had been able to make do while barge transport was subsidised by council and with financial support from meat processor Alliance, but he was unsure how sustainable the costs would be without that.
The study proposes that parts of Kenepuru Road will remain one lane - with heavy vehicles like truck and trailer units to be piloted in and out and Moleta said he would welcome that option.
"I'd go and sit my pilot vehicle license tomorrow and I'd kiss the ground the truck arrived on."
Public feedback is open on the Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study until 11 July.
