Titahi Bay Beach holds a special place in our manawa – our hearts. It’s a 1km stretch of land that is enjoyed by many. We are proud of our beautiful beach, but we know this place has areas that could be improved upon.
In late 2021 we reached out to our community to do a safety audit and we heard the concerns loud and clear. Our community told us that things such as vehicles on the beach, lack of lighting and parking, shrubbery blocking sightlines, toilet opening times, and difficulty accessing the beach, made them feel less safe and comfortable using this public space.
In addition, there are assets around Titahi Bay Beach that need replacing in the near future. While there are plans to do this, given the time that has passed since the assets were first built, consideration needs to be given to what enhancements can be made to the spaces need to encourage use.
Aspects such as location, accessibility and usefulness need to be explored. One example of this is the South Access Rd toilet block - it is due to be replaced and thought needs to be given to what this part of the beach needs in the way of accessible facilities and the location of facilities.
Some of these things from the safety audit we could remedy right away, and we did, while others require some thought and planning on the best approach.
Earlier this year (2023) we, in partnership with Ngāti Toa Rangatira, initiated a further conversation with mana whenua and the community to better understand the current and historical values that are central to Titahi Bay Beach and its reserve areas, as well as what is envisaged for its care and improvement in the future.
We want Titahi Bay Beach to be a place where people feel safe to visit and be accessible for everyone. We have embarked on a journey to improve this space and it’s time to explore some suggested high-level priorities and a range of landscape designs options.
Koangaumu is both the name of the creek at the very southern end of Titahi Bay beach and the name attributed to an extensive block of land comprising the south of Titahi Bay surveyed in 1873. The Koangaumu Block included all of what is referred to today as south beach, or the south end.
The “South End Project Area” sits within the historical Koangaumu Block and this plan presents a unique opportunity to give expression to the values of Koangaumu and to tell its stories. The landscape concept options in this report are an initial step towards the co-ordinated expression of values and perspectives presented across the safety audit, the initial engagement feedback, and the Cultural Values Assessment
Late last year, the Draft Landscape Concept Design Options Report was shared with the community for feedback. We had a great turnout at both of the community pop-in sessions where there was lots of good kōrero. There was also a survey which was another avenue for us to receive feedback. The feedback on the Draft Landscape Concept Options Report [pdf, 4.12MB] told us that no one, single design for each of the three main areas was the most preferred. Instead, various elements of each concept option were preferred. Jamie, our landscape designer, has translated the feedback on the draft landscape concept designs and developed a Preliminary Landscape Design Plan.
The Preliminary Landscape Design Plan incorporates the various aspects into a single plan. If you would like to view the Preliminary Landscape Design Plan, you can find it here.
This is our project symbol, the kāhu, or swamp harrier.
This far-sighted bird soars at great heights. In this context, it is symbolic of the wider view of Titahi Bay Beach and its connections to Porirua, Whitireia, Mana Island, the moana and the cultural and historical stories that support these connections.
Council-owned and managed land at Titahi Bay Beach is a large space and if we were to do everything at once, it would have a huge impact on the community, including rates.
Therefore, we have broken the long-term goal of a beach-wide development plan into stages. The messages we receive from engagement in the first half of 2023 will inform concept designs and so to move forward in the quickest way, we are proposing to split the space into two:
This was our project symbol, the tōrea, or oystercatcher, for the first stage of engagement in 2023.
Ka whati te tai ka pao te tōrea. Let’s focus on the beach and move forward together.
The beach dwelling tōrea (oystercatcher) spends time observing and listening before acting when looking for kai. Just like the tōrea, we are gathering feedback before making a plan.
This bird, seen around coastal Wellington, picks at the ground and unearths its food - in this context, it is symbolic of the Council working with its community to unearth what is precious about our beach, and how we can make it a place of positive experiences.
Over March and April 2023, we and the community had kōrero about Titahi Bay Beach and what it means, as we know it needs improvements for it to be accessible and enjoyed by everyone. This chat needed to happen before we made any plans. It’s about getting it right for future generations.
How did we listen?
Newsletters that we sent to interested people about our engagement and what's been happening can be found here:
In a nutshell, the area is large! Taking a phased approach makes it more achievable from both a cost and delivery point of view. We’ll start at the south end first and move to the north end as soon as it makes sense and we have the resources to do it.
A preliminary design lays out how the space will look and function in more detail. It is the the next step to understanding what will be needed to achieve the end result, and better understand the potential costs involved. When the preliminary design is complete for the Koangaumu south end, it will be shared with you. It will also form part of the Reserves Management Plan for Titahi Bay Beach Reserves and Arnold Park.
A concept plan shows how the general design principles can be applied to a space. In this instance, a concept plan will show at a high level what changes may be considered to achieve the end result. A concept plan is used to check if the design is on the right track and it is used to guide more detailed planning.
The south is the first focus because its issues are simpler compared to the north. For the north there are some specific conversations around 19 and 21 Bay Drive and these are going to take time. By starting on the south end of Titahi Bay Beach, improvements can get under way and items like replacing the toilet block can happen sooner rather than waiting for the concept plan for the north to be completed.
The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is a project on its own and has its own timeline, therefore is not included in this project. If you want to know more about Titahi Bay wastewater and treatment plant project check out the information - https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/city-projects/titahi-bay-water-supply/
Council purchased 19 Bay Drive in 2012 and 21 Bay Drive in 2008. The purchase was made because of the potential opportunities it presented, such as adding to the green space in the area, providing additional access to the coast, and its contribution to Porirua as a visitor destination in the future. There were no caveats in the purchase around what was to happen to the space once Council purchased it. You can find out more information about the Bay Drive purchase here - https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/getting-involved/public-consultation/bay-drive/bay-drive-faqs/
Members of the community as well as emergency services, school pupils and Maori Wardens were involved working alongside Council. You can find out more about the safety audit here
https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/city-projects/titahi-bay-community-safety-audit/
Yes, similar plans have been done for the Titahi Bay Beach area in the past, with the last being done in 2016. A lot of time has passed and Titahi Bay has, in general, changed. The population has grown and the demographics have changed. There have been some big changes to the way the beach can be used, such as vehicles are no longer allowed on the beach, and we have more knowledge and awareness of the impacts of climate change. In addition, there are the recommended actions from the 2021 Community Safety Audit mentioned above to consider. The previous plans also lacked a mana whenua lens. All of these items mean change and therefore it's appropriate to reconsider the plans with this new information in mind.
The two are connected. The Reserves Management Plan review is a formal process set out under the Reserves Act 1977. Tītahi Bay Beach Reserve and Arnold Park sit within the area of the Arotahi Tītahi Bay Beach project. The key principles and values from the Arotahi Titahi Bay Beach project will inform the review of the current Reserve Management Plan for each of the reserves. This ensures that Council’s management approach to the two reserves is consistent with our community’s aspirations for the wider Tītahi Bay area.
Asset renewal means the replacement or major refurbishment of an asset that represents a capital investment and substantially extends the life of an asset. At Titahi Bay Beach, the toilet block at the bottom of South Beach Access Road has reached the end of its life and isn’t accessible for everyone. Rather than just replacing it “like for like”, this project gives the opportunity to consider aspects such as location, area usage needs and accessibility.
Ultimately the toilet blocks at South Beach Access Road and the northern entrance off Bay Drive will need replacing. The South Beach Access Road toilets have been identified as a priority to replace.
Wouldn’t it be great to talk to everyone! Titahi Bay Beach is a destination for many people for many reasons and a variety of uses. The connection to Titahi Bay Beach is not only local but district, regional and in some cases international. We are proactively making ourselves available to the community of Porirua and one of the benefits of digital channels is people who are not based in Porirua can participate in the engagement. We are not limiting who we talk to. If you have something to share, please do. You can share through:
There is a growing number of demands on Council funding and we are working hard to reduce impacts on rates. The Long-term Plan process is how the community get to have a say on what projects and initiatives funding is allocated to.
The costs to make improvements to the beach will not be known until after the concept designs are confirmed. At this point costs can be collated and it’s these costs that go forward into the Long-term Plan process. At this point the community get to decide what projects and initiatives funding is allocated to.
To share your thoughts and feedback with us about Titahi Bay Beach or this project, email us direct at [email protected] or contact the customer service centre on 04 237 5089.
What else is going on in Titahi Bay - useful links
There is a lot going on in Titahi Bay and here you can find easy links to other projects.
Titahi Bay Beach has some unique and interesting features. Here are a few:
Fossilised forest - Buried beneath Titahi Bay is a series of silt and peat beds, around 10m thick, that contain subfossil tree stumps that have grown 'in-situ' which represent a former forest. Subfossil tree stumps are not a common occurrence anywhere in the world and the Wellington region is fortunate to have two places where they can be observed. Find out more here.
Cable house, 21 Bay Drive – Titahi Bay played a key role in the evolution of New Zealand’s communications. An internal telegraph network begun in the 1860s helped link New Zealand together and the cables were relocated to Titahi Bay in 1917. Find out more here
