17 Jul 2019

Residents say council in for a long fight

From Morning Report, 7:17 am on 17 July 2019

Residents living in a dangerous debris flow zone in the Bay of Plenty beach settlement of Matata and who don't want to move are vowing to fight a council plan to shift them out.

In 2005, part of the town was devastated after a torrential downpour washed logs, boulders and other debris down a flooded river, destroying 27 homes.

After 14-years of indecision, the Whakatane District Council, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and central government are offering to buy the affected properties at a market rate - but for those who refuse to go, the future looks bleak.

RNZ's reporter, Andrew McRae was outside a private meeting held by the councils to let residents known of the plan. He spoke to some of them afterwards.