Hurunui’s $25 million climate adaptation loan
In a first for New Zealand, Amberley Beach residents are to be relocated in response to sea level rise driven by climate change.
The Hurunui District Council has secured a loan of $23.5 million from the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA) for climate change adaptation and relocation of residents from Amberley Beach, due to sea-level rise and erosion.
By 2045 to 2055, coastal defences at Amberley Beach are expected to be ineffective. In response, the Hurunui District Council has adopted the Amberley Beach Coastal Adaptation Plan, which outlines a structured, trigger-based approach to relocation.
A key part of the project involves the Council’s recent $3.8 million land purchase on Ashworths Road, 20 metres above sea level, to host a new residential development. In the initial phases, about $5.5 million is expected to be drawn down to fund land acquisition and planning work (rezoning, subdivision design, infrastructure planning), enabling an orderly and resilient retreat from the coastline.
This is the first large-scale relocation project of its kind in New Zealand and is intended to be largely self-funding through land sales, leases, and targeted rates. Initial embankment protection to guard against sea incursions at Amberley Beach will continue in the short term, with future decisions guided by cost and risk thresholds.
LGFA says it is proud to support councils like Hurunui that are taking bold, future-focused steps to adapt to the realities of climate change while protecting their communities.
