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Technical Report 6
TRC- Assessment of Effects on Recreation
5th floor Aviation House
12 Johnston Street
P O Box 2515
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
P: 64 4 472 3114
F: 64 4 473 0020
www.trctourism.com
1
Wellington International Airport
Proposed Extension – Assessment
of Effects on Recreation
Prepared for: Wellington International Airport
Limited
25 April 2016
15 June 2015
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited i | Page
Disclaimer
Any representation, statement, opinion or advice, expressed or implied in this document is
made in good faith with the information available to TRC Tourism Limited at the time of
writing. On that basis TRC Tourism Limited is not liable to any person for any damage or
loss whatsoever which has occurred or may occur in relation to that person taking or not
taking action in respect of the any representation, statement or advice referred to in this
document.
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited ii | Page
Table of Contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Proposal to extend runway 1
1.2 Method 1
1.3 Lyall Bay overview 2
2 Recreational activities in Lyall Bay 4
2.1 Lyall Bay Participation Survey 4
2.2 Recreation activities 10
2.3 Business activity associated with recreation 15
3 Effects assessment 16
3.1 Wave action and beach amenity 16
3.2 Noise 17
3.3 Construction phase activities 18
3.4 Mitigation 21
3.5 Conclusion 21
Appendix 1: Documents reviewed 23
Appendix 2: People consulted 24
Appendix 3 – Observation Locations 25
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 1 | Page
1 Introduction
This report describes recreation activity occurring in and around Lyall Bay, Wellington and
the potential effects on those activities from a proposed extension to Wellington Airport’s
runway. The report is in two main parts. The first describes recreation activities based on
survey information, stakeholder interviews and field observations. The second part
presents the assessment of effects based on stakeholder interviews and the results from
other technical investigations into noise, construction method, traffic, landscape, ecological
processes, cultural impacts and surf and beach amenity.
1.1 Proposal to extend runway
Wellington International Airport Ltd proposes to extend its current runway by
approximately 393 metres south towards Cook Strait.1 This will enable larger aircraft flying
medium and long haul routes to connect Wellington to Asia and the United States. This
follows the 90 metre runway end safety extension built in 2006.
1.2 Method
The assessment of recreation effects was undertaken using the following steps:
1. Review of relevant background documents, plans and other reports
2. Interviews with recreation user groups
3. An online survey of 2,700 residents drawn from Wellington City Council’s resident
panel
4. Personal observations at and near Lyall Bay between 13 March and 1 April 2015
5. Review of technical reports and interviews with report authors on noise,
construction method, traffic, ecology and surf amenity
1. Review of background documents
A review of background documents was carried out, although there is very little relevant
information available (refer Appendix 1 for a working list of documents).
2. Interviews with recreation user groups
Over March and April 2015, interviews were held with the key recreation user groups of
Lyall Bay, such as surfers, kite surfers, wind surfers and surf life saving clubs. Interviews
were also held with surf shop retailers in Wellington. Interview questions were designed to
find out about how recreation groups make use of Lyall Bay and other nearby bays on the
South Coast. Refer Appendix 2 for a list of those consulted.
3. Online survey
An online survey of just over 2,700 Wellington residents was carried out between mid
March and early April 2015. This explored residents’ use of Lyall Bay and other nearby
areas. The survey sample was drawn from Wellington City Council’s resident panel. This is a
representative sample of the Wellington City population. A total of 865 residents
responded to the survey. Of these, 109 (13%) were residents of Lyall Bay or nearby suburbs
(Hataitai, Kilbirnie, Melrose, Houghton Bay, Southgate or Rongotai) and 756 (87%) were
1 From runway end to runway end, AECOM 2015
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 2 | Page
residents of further afield (Karori, Newtown, Brooklyn, Miramar, Tawa, Johnsonville,
Newlands, Island Bay and Khandallah). Male and female residents participated equally.
Respondents who indicated they had visited Lyall Bay in the last 12 months were presented
with a list of activities and asked if they had participated in each of these activities daily,
weekly, monthly, every few months, once or twice in the last year, or never in the last year.
4. Personal observations
Personal observations were also undertaken in and around Lyall Bay on 16 days between
13 March and 1 April 2015. These enabled counts to be made of people participating in
recreation and other leisure activities. Observations covered weekdays and weekend days.
These are summarised in Appendix 3.
1.3 Lyall Bay overview
Lyall Bay is popular for walking dogs, surfing, kite surfing and wind surfing, surf life saving,
swimming, fishing from land, scenic drives, picnics, visiting cafes, outings with families and
watching planes (Figure 1). The recreation areas depicted in Figure 1 are indicative only and
tend to merge and overlap with each other. For instance, surfing is concentrated most in
The Corner but in the right conditions, spreads out over most of the Bay. Expert surfers also
use the Airports Right break that lies off the end of the existing runway.
Surf life saving occurs to the west and middle of the Bay but can spread further out and
across the Bay with the right conditions and for events. Swimming tends to occur in the
middle and west of the Bay, but also occurs in The Corner. Walking occurs all around the
Bay both on the beach and on the footpaths.
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 3 | Page
Figure 1: Lyall Bay and Wellington Airport showing approximate areas used for recreation in the CMA
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 4 | Page
2 Recreational activities in Lyall Bay
A diversity of recreational activities takes place at Lyall Bay:
Surfing – is concentrated in the middle of the bay and the ‘Corner’
Boogie boarding and kayaking - these activities tend to occur in the middle of the
bay, plus on the western side of the surf life saving clubs
Swimming – occurs along the entire beach front
Other beach use – the beach is very popular on calm and sunny days for sitting,
sunbathing and picnics. This occurs on the western half of the beach, and west of
the surf life saving club rooms
Wind surfing and kite surfing – these activities occur between the western side of
the bay and ‘the corner’ surf break. Both groups gear-up in the western corner of
the bay and often turn close to shore in the vicinity of the surf life saving club
rooms
Sightseeing – occurs around the Bay
Running and jogging – occurs all the way around the Bay
Cycling – Lyall Bay is part of a popular ride around the South Coast
Plane spotting – participants use a car park on Wexford Road and on Moa Point
Road to watch planes
Fishing – land based fishing is restricted to surf casting from the beach and from
the airport walls and breakwater
Diving and spear fishing – this occurs in small numbers in the cove near Moa Point
and around the breakwater to the west of the runway
Beach walkers – beach walking is a very frequent activity along Lyall Bay. Dog
walking and exercising is very popular, especially in the designated dog exercise
area
Surf Life Saving – There are two surf life saving clubs in Lyall Bay: Maranui and Lyall
Bay. Each have their clubrooms located in the western corner of the beach.
2.1 Lyall Bay Participation Survey
The online survey revealed that 79% of respondents used Lyall Bay in the last 12 months for
recreation or leisure. Walking, biking and running on or beside the beach, sightseeing and
associated visits to cafes are the most popular activities. Water sports such as surfing,
swimming and windsurfing, although visually prominent, represented a much smaller
proportion of total recreational use in and around Lyall Bay.
Respondents who indicated that they had visited Lyall Bay in the previous 12 months were
presented with a list of activities and asked if they had participated in each of these
activities daily, weekly, monthly, every few months, once or twice in the last year, or never
in the last year. Figure 2 presents the percentage of respondents who reported
participation in each activity at least once in the last year.
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 5 | Page
8%
53%
39%
Main Activity when visiting Lyall Bay: Resident of nearby Lyall Bay
Watersport(swimming/surfingetc.)
Physical activity(walking/cycling etc.)
Social(cafes/play/sightseeingetc.)
Figure 2: Participation in recreation activities in Lyall Bay in the last 12 months
Activities are colour-coded with red representing exercise related activities on land, blue
representing activities on or in the water, and green representing social activities.
Figure 2 illustrates that social activities such as visiting cafes, sightseeing, and picnicking are
popular, along with walking or running. Water-related activities are less common, with
swimming the most popular watersport. The main reason for visiting Lyall Bay differs
significantly between residents who live locally and those who live further afield (Figures 3
and 4). The majority who live nearby spend their time at Lyall Bay engaging in physical
activity such as walking, running, and cycling, whereas the majority coming from further
away are there more for social reasons such as café visits, sightseeing, picnicking or playing
at the beach or playground. Participation in water sports is the main reason for only a small
minority of each group, but is twice as common for residents who live locally (Figure 5).
Figure 3: Main activity for Lyall Bay residents
27 23
78
36
211
4 4 5 6 2 4
55
86
53
91
34
0102030405060708090
100
% R
esp
on
de
nts
(n
=68
6)
Participation in Lyall Bay Activities: Once or more in the past year
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Figure 4: Main activity for residents further afield from Lyall Bay
Figure 5: Comparison between Lyall Bay residents and others by activity grouping
Figure 6 illustrates that the majority of respondents enjoyed the company of their partner, friends, children or other family members when spending their time at Lyall Bay. Only 22% reported that they participated in their main activity at Lyall Bay by themselves.
4%
35%
61%
Main Activity when visiting Lyall Bay: Resident of further afield
Watersport(swimming/surfing etc.)
Physical activity(walking/cycling etc.)
Social(cafes/play/sightseeingetc.)
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Watersport Physicalactivity
Social
No
. Re
spo
nse
s
Main Activity when visiting Lyall Bay
Resident of: Further afield
Resident of: Nearby LyallBay
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 7 | Page
Figure 6: Participation in recreation activities with other people
Respondents were asked the number of other places in the Wellington region (including Wairarapa) where they do their main activity (Figure 7). Only 5% indicated there was nowhere else, and 68% indicated at least three other places where they did the same activity.
Figure 7: Other locations used for main activity in the Wellington region
Figure 8 shows the breakdown of these data by the type of activity. The most common response for those whose main activity is ‘social’ indicated they also did this activity in over five other places. The most common response for those whose main activity was ‘physical’ indicated they also did this activity in 3-5 other places. Of those who indicated there was ‘nowhere else’ the majority of those with a ‘social’ activity were plane watchers, with two swimmers and two surfers making up the ‘watersports’ category.
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 8 | Page
Figure 8: Participation by activity groupings in other locations
Respondents were asked to indicate how important Lyall Bay was for them in doing their main activity, compared to other areas (Figure 9). The most common response was ‘about the same level of importance’, at 40%. Of the remaining, 32% indicated Lyall Bay was less important to them than other areas, and 29% indicated Lyall Bay was more important.
Figure 9: Importance of Lyall Bay compared with other locations for main activity
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Nowhere else 1-2 other places 3-5 other places 5+ other places
No
. Re
spo
nse
sWhere else in Wellington do you
participate in main activity?
Watersports
Physical
Social
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 9 | Page
When separating these data according to activity type, it is apparent that the majority of respondents who participate in a ‘social’ activity viewed Lyall Bay at the same or of lesser importance than other areas (Figure 10). Although small in numbers, respondents participating in ‘watersports’ most commonly put Lyall Bay in the ‘much more important’ category, and ‘physical’ activity is also strongly represented.
Figure 10: Importance of other locations by activity grouping
Respondents were given the opportunity to elaborate on why they viewed Lyall Bay as more important than other areas for their main activity. All of those who chose slightly/much more important (185 respondents) took this opportunity (Figure 11). Their qualitative responses were analysed thematically and are presented below. Being close to home, scenic, better for dogs, safer for swimming and family activities and the perception of better cafes are the main reasons that stand out.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Much lessimpt
Slightly lessimpt
About thesame
Slightly moreimpt
Much moreimpt
No
. Re
spo
nse
s
Importance of Lyall Bay over other areas for main activity
Watersports
Physical
Social
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0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
No
. Re
spo
nse
sWhy Lyall Bay more important than other
areas for main activity
Figure 11: Reasons why Lyall Bay is more important than other locations in the Wellington region
2.2 Recreation activities
Surfing
Lyall Bay is a popular location for surfing although there are no documented statistics
available on the number of surfers who use Lyall Bay. The Wellington Boardriders Club has
about 150 members, and it is likely that most people who surf at Lyall Bay would not be
members of this club. Lyall Bay surf break is considered to be important by surfers living
mostly in Wellington, Hutt and Porirua cities. It has very limited appeal nationally because
of the inconsistency of surf, general lack of long, peeling rides and is well known amongst
surfers for being very crowded in good or very good conditions. The New Zealand Surfing
Guide describes surfing at Lyall Bay as:
The bay features a variety of peaks with constantly changing banks. The wall next to the
airport offers the best quality. Expect a super sucky take off and quick tube. A workable wall
will peel through to the inside and close-out. Spot gets insanely crowded.2
The Surfing Guide ‘stoke meter’, a 10-point scale of surf quality ranks Lyall Bay at 6 out of
10 (with 1 being poor quality and 10 high quality surf on a good day).
On a good day, the Wellington Boardriders Club estimate there would be approximately 60
surfers closest to the rocks in the corner break (nearest the airport), 30 to 40 to the right of
2 New Zealand Surfing Guide, 2004
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 11 | Page
this and up 100 surfers scattering all over the bay. This number could turn over twice to
three times on a very good day.
Ideal conditions vary between surfers depending on their ability and tolerance for crowds.
The sort of condition preferred by most surfers occurs about 20 to 30 times a year - clean,
calm or light offshore winds from the north with a 1m to 3m swell and a 11 to 15 second
period. Under these conditions, the corner break at Lyall Bay can be extremely crowded.
On a few days a year with large swells there is also a small group of expert surfers that use
the same location as where the runway extension is to be built.
Those who use Lyall Bay as a surf spot, value it for three main reasons. First, it is close to
town enabling surfing before, during and after work or school hours. Second, it is a
relatively safe bay to surf in with limited rips and currents, plenty of room to spread out
and a wide range of conditions to suit all levels of surfing. It is understood to be used on at
least 70 days per year for learn to surf instruction. Third, it is well known to produce a
powerful barrelling wave in the corner, well sought-after by experienced surfers.
Some surfers are very keen to put up lights along the bay, so they would be able to surf at
night and early morning, potentially doubling the number of hours spent surfing.
Kite surfing
Lyall Bay is used for kite surfing. It is understood that active kite surfers go out about once
or twice a week. Lyall Bay is suitable mainly for experienced kite surfers, with at least one
year of kite surfing experience.
The activity occurs mostly in the west side of the bay and up until the Briscoes building, but
there is a preference to be able to kite surf up until the Cornish Accountants building closer
to the corner surf break. Experienced kite surfers tend to use the whole bay starting and
finishing in the western corner along from the surf life saving clubs.
Some kite surfers say that perfect conditions for kite surfing would be 15 to 20 knots, a
southerly or south - west wind and 2m to 3m swell. Kite surfers report that these conditions
occur about a dozen times a year. However, according to the kite surfers anything up from
12 knots would be suitable for kite surfing.
Wind surfing
Lyall Bay is also used for wind surfing. It is understood that the Wellington Windsurfing
Association has about 200 members, but only a small group uses Lyall Bay. Other areas
being used are Plimmerton, Evans Bay, Houghton Bay, Seatoun and Eastbourne. Lyall Bay is
the only spot in Wellington that offers good windsurfing on southerly and south - west
winds. It is ideally suited to more experienced wind surfers due to cold, deep water and
strong winds. Plimmerton and Pauatahanui Inlet are better locations for beginners and less
experienced wind surfers.
The ideal conditions for most experienced windsurfers would be 25knots or more and a
south - west wind.
Windsurfers use Lyall Bay between 80 and 180 days a year. On about 3 days a year Lyall Bay
has massive swells ideally suited to expert windsurfers.
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 12 | Page
The main appeal of Lyall Bay lies in its close proximity to the Wellington CBD, its ‘world
class’ conditions being strong consistent wind, waves that can be surfed on and the relative
safety of the bay (no rocks or other obstacles).
Participation in windsurfing has shown limited growth over the last decade. This could be
explained by it being an expensive sport and the rise of other alternative activities such as
stand up paddle boarding.3
In 2009, the Wellington Windsurfing Association carried out a voluntary online survey for
Wellington windsurfers. This survey showed that Wellington windsurfers are mainly
interested in wave sailing, followed by slalom/racing/speed, freeride and freestyle. The
majority of the windsurfers are advanced windsurfers that do carve gibing, jumping and
freestyle moves.
Swimming and diving
Swimming is a popular summer activity in Lyall Bay. It is generally a safe beach for
swimming and patrolled by lifeguards in summer. The Participation Survey shows that 19%
of respondents used Lyall Bay for swimming once or twice in the last year, 9% every few
months, 3% monthly and 3% weekly.
Lyall Bay is not often used for diving. Most Wellington divers use other places for this, such
as the Taputeranga Marine Reserve (from Houghton Bay to Owhiro Bay). However, diving
between Moa Point and Hue-te-taha Peninsula and around to Tarakana Bay is valued by
divers because it is one of the few accessible areas to the city where seafood can be
gathered.
Fishing and collection of seafood
Fishing from land, spear fishing and collecting seafood (paua and crayfish) are known to
occur on a fairly regular basis along the road parallel to the runway, off the concrete
breakwater and in the waters between Moa Point and Hue-te-taha Peninsula. The number
of those participating in these activities is thought to be low. Spear fishing between Moa
Point and Hue-te-taha Peninsula is considered important to divers as it is not permitted in
Taputeranga Marine Reserve.
Walking dogs
Wellington City Council conducted research in 2008 into dog walking/exercise areas in
Wellington.4 Lyall Bay was the most frequently used exercise area. The majority of survey
respondents indicated that they drove to Lyall Bay, showing that it draws residents from a
wider area.
The dog walking exercise areas are most frequently used in the afternoons, both on
weekdays and weekends. Over half of the survey respondents mentioned they exercise
their dogs more often in summer. Most respondents visit their ‘usual’ exercise area at least
once a week.
The aspects respondents liked about Lyall Bay are the ‘big open area’, followed by ‘water to
play in’, ‘has car parking’ and ‘close to home’. Safety for dog owners as well as for their
dogs was also mentioned, as was the ability for dogs to socialise with each other.
3 http://www.wwa.org.nz/page-770211 4 Absolutely Positively Wellington, Gavin Armstrong, Dog Exercise Area Survey, 2008
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 13 | Page
Our personal observations show that at times there are many dogs at Lyall Bay, especially
on weekends. For example, on Saturday 15 March there were 32 dogs being walked
between 1.30-2.30pm and 41 dogs between 5.15-6.15pm, and on Sunday 21 March there
were 18 dogs between 12.45-1.45pm and 26 dogs between 1.45-2.45pm.
Sightseeing, picnics, kids play and general leisure
The Participation Survey shows Lyall Bay is used most for sight seeing, scenic drives and
visiting cafes. Close to 50% of respondents use Lyall Bay for these activities either monthly
or every few months.
The children’s playground near the surf life saving clubrooms is often used in weekends and
school holidays. This use is associated with visiting cafes, walking along the beach or
sidewalk by families.
Lyall Bay is also popular for walking and running. Ten percent use the bay for walking and
running on a weekly basis, 15% on a monthly basis and 27% every few months.
Personal observations recorded 395 people participating in these general leisure activities
on Sunday 15 March (warm sunny conditions) and 321 people on Saturday 21 March,
spread out over the whole day.
Surf life saving
Maranui Surf Life Saving Club
Maranui Surf Life Saving Club has about 850 members. Of these about 500 are active. They
have a waiting list of people wanting to become a member. Members are from all over
Wellington with approximately 70% aged under 14 years.
The club uses the western end of the bay because it is the safest part of the beach and
location of its clubrooms. Between October and April the club patrols the beach and
undertakes training (4 days a week plus every Sunday). Between May and September there
is no patrolling, but there is life guard training (Sunday, Tuesday and sometimes
Wednesdays). In February, the Maranui SLSC hosts competitions in Lyall Bay.
Lyall Bay Surf Life Saving Club
Lyall Bay Surf Life Saving Club has about 250-300 active members drawn from all over
Wellington. About half of these members are aged under 14. The members aged under 14
are being trained on beach safety, the members aged over 14 are trained to patrol the
beach.
In summer, beach patrolling at Lyall Bay is an important aspect for the Lyall Bay Surf Life
Saving Club: in summer they patrol 4 days a week, from November onwards they patrol
every day and from the end of December and January they are paid by the Wellington City
Council to be the regional life guards. They do about 7-12 rescues every season, 2 or 3
searches and spend about 1200-1300 hrs lifeguarding.
The club uses the whole beach and whole bay for their activities. Because of the warmer
conditions in Evans Bay, they sometimes use Evans Bay as well.
There are no ‘ideal conditions’ for both surf life saving clubs. Members need to practice in
different conditions so they can assist others who may get into difficulty. Most train
regardless of the weather conditions.
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 14 | Page
Our personal observations showed that the surf life savings clubs and their young member
base also attract a substantial group of parents and spectators.
Cycling
Cycling along the bays of the Wellington South Coast is a very popular activity, especially in
the weekends. Many cyclists and some pedestrians are known to ride or walk sections of
the proposed Great Harbour Way, a 67km route from Pencarrow Head to Red Rocks. Part
of this includes the roads and footpaths around the airport. Nine percent of respondents in
the Participation Survey use Lyall Bay for cycling every few months, 7% once or twice in the
last year, 6% monthly, 5% weekly and 1% daily. Traffic Design Group made observations in
February 2015 along Moa Point Road with the following results shown in Table 1:
Table 1: Lyall Bay and Wellington Airport showing approximate areas used for recreation
Period Cyclists per hour Pedestrians per hour
Weekday AM peak 44 3
Weekday inter-peak 11 3
Weekday PM peak 19 4
Saturday AM peak 107 11
Saturday inter-peak 29 17
Source: TDG, April 2016
There is considerably more cycling activity than walking along Moa Point Road. Weekends
are most popular for both cycling and walking.
Sailing/boating
Sailing and boating activity in Lyall Bay is very limited. There was no useful data available.
Kayaking/paddle boarding
According to the retail store Wild Winds, paddle boarding is the fastest growing water sport
in Wellington. Lyall Bay is being used increasingly for paddle boarding. Ideal conditions for
most paddle boarders include a clean calm sea (or light breeze from any direction) with a
1m to 2m swell.
Kayaking is not as popular as paddle boarding or surfing. White water kayakers tend to use
the middle of the bay for practice and wave riding. The surf life saving clubs also make use
of surf kayaks and paddle - boards for their activities.
Plane spotting
Plane spotting a relatively popular activity. The most frequently used areas are the retail
and food court inside the airport terminal and the car park at Wexford Road.
The Participation Survey shows that 17% of respondents use Lyall Bay to watch planes
every few months, 10% watch planes monthly followed by 16% once or twice in the last
year. Eight percent watch planes weekly and 2% daily.
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 15 | Page
2.3 Business activity associated with recreation
Retail
Wild Winds
Wild Winds is a windsurf, kite board, paddleboard, ski and snowboard retail shop in
Wellington CBD. Wild Winds also offers windsurfing, kite surfing and paddle boarding
lessons. Lyall Bay is considered too dangerous to teach windsurfing or kite surfing and
Plimmerton or Pauatahanui Inlet are preferred. According to the owner, about 30-40% of
his business is linked to Lyall Bay.
The owner feels that although kite surfing has grown enormously internationally, it is still
relatively small in Wellington. Windsurfing activity has flattened out and paddle boarding is
showing the most growth in terms of sales.
Real Surf
Long established in Lyall Bay, Real Surf has seen cycles of growth and decline in surfing.
Currently, the owner observes a surge in surfing “like it was in the 1960s.” He estimates
there would be more than 200 surfers spread across the bay in ideal conditions. There has
been an increase in visiting surfers (from overseas and elsewhere in New Zealand) over the
last 10 to 15 years. Real Surf provides learn to surf lessons on most days in summer (as do
two other companies). Group sizes vary between 1 and 15 with an average of 6 to 8
participants. According to the owner, a large percentage of Real Surf’s business is linked to
Lyall Bay.
Cafes and restaurants
The Participation Survey shows 91% of respondents visiting a café in Lyall Bay once or more
in the last 12 months. This is often associated with some other activity such as sightseeing
or walking. Some of the comments that the respondents made were ‘The quality of the
cafes are high in Lyall Bay so we like to make a special trip to visit them’ and ‘There are a
good range of food premises and shops in the area so we can combine a picnic with these’
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 16 | Page
3 Effects assessment
3.1 Wave action and beach amenity
This assessment draws on the technical assessment undertaken by the Danish Hydrological
Institute (DHI) into the effects of the airport extension on surf break amenity.5 The DHI
assessment modelled three wave scenarios that are indicative of conditions suitable for
surfing in Lyall Bay.
Minimum surf criteria for good conditions were stated as:
Min. wave height 0.8 metres
Interval period of 11 seconds
Wind from the north
The conditions must last at least 2hrs and occur during daylight hours
Minimum criteria for very good conditions were stated as:
Min. wave height 1.5 metres
Interval period of 11 seconds
Wind from the north
The conditions must last at least 2hrs and occur during daylight hours
Good conditions were estimated to occur 24% of the time in a year or approximately 2.4
days per week. Very good conditions were estimated to occur 10% of the time or 3.2 days
per month.
The relevant findings of DHI are that:
1. The Airports Right surf break that occurs off the end of the current runway will be
lost with the extension
2. Surf rides at The Corner could reduce by 4% to 8% as a result of a slight reduction in
wave peakiness
3. Surf rides at Middle Beach could reduce by 14% to 29%
4. Surf rides at West Beach could reduce by 18% to 27%
Airport Rights is a surf break that is utilised a few times a year during certain conditions by
experienced surfers. The loss of this surfing amenity will therefore only affect a very small
group of expert surfers. The possible reduction of wave rides in The Corner would only be
noticeable by the most seasoned and experienced surfers who have surfed The Corner for
many years. The author acknowledges that some surfers predict that the reduction in surf
rides would lead to more congestion in The Corner. However, this spot is often crowded
anyway and has been for many years as a result of the gradual increase in popularity of
surfing and limited choices close to Wellington city. Any additional congestion may be very
difficult to detect. Based on the information to hand, the slight reduction in wave rides
suggests less than minor effects on the surfing amenity at The Corner.
Surfers who use Middle and West Beach regularly may notice a reduction in wave rides,
although that is not known at this stage. Based on discussions between DHI, Wellington
Airport and Wellington Boardriders, a submerged wave focusing structure is being
considered as an enhancement to surfing at Lyall Bay. The submerged structure, akin to a
reef, would have the effect of shaping waves to be more rideable. Specifically, this would
5 DHI Ltd, August 2015, Wellington Airport Runway Extension – Surf Break Impact Assessment
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 17 | Page
mean producing more of a peak that breaks left and right thereby potentially increasing the
number of wave rides under good or very good conditions.
Effects on other activities such as swimming, surf life saving, body boarding, kite surfing and
windsurfing are less than minor. There are no known anticipated adverse effects to the
beach profile and walking, running along the beach and walking dogs would not be
affected.
3.2 Noise
The effects of noise on recreation have been assessed for both the construction and
operational phase of the airport extension. The findings here draw from the AECOM
(formally URS New Zealand Limited) assessment of construction noise and from Marshall
Day Acoustics assessment of operational aircraft noise.
Construction phase
The AECOM assessment has considered the potential noise effects arising from
construction activities on recreational users. The assessment observes that recreational
users will generally only be present during daytime hours, and are transient. Ambient noise
levels during daytime hours in the existing environment are already quite high due to the
presence of aircraft and the sea and this will act to mask noise from the construction
activity and haul route traffic. Furthermore, the assessment indicates that during such
daylight hours the standards specified in the construction noise standards (NZS 6803:1999)
will mostly be complied with.
Those exposed most to construction and haul traffic noise are likely to be visitors in parked
cars along Moa Point Road who are watching aircraft and or surfers / wind surfers / kite
surfers and walkers and cyclists passing through Moa Point and along Moa Point Road. In
these cases it is the noise from haul traffic that will be most noticeable during the day
between 9.30am and 2.30pm or less likely at night between 10pm and 6am (weekdays
only). There are no haul movements planned for weekends.
Kite surfers and windsurfers spoken to note that at times airport noise can be an issue
when trying to communicate with each other on the water, although they were used to it.
These activities take place more than 400 metres from construction works and thus it is
likely that the effects on speech audibility during construction would be less than minor.
Kite surfing will be permitted by the Airport during and after construction even though it
occurs within a potential exclusion zone for such activities under Civil Aviation regulations.
The effects of noise underwater on spear fishing and diving off Moa Point are not easily
quantifiable at this stage. However AECOM estimate that noise levels would be below 200
dB (for water) at 1 metre from the source. Most noise underwater will be generated by the
reclamation process and insertion of stone columns in the seabed.
Those people fishing off the breakwater adjacent to Moa Point Road would notice
increased noise levels from haul traffic and construction activities. The noise however
would be fairly constant during daylight hours at levels below that of aircraft landing and
taking off.
The effects of construction noise on all other activities (such as walking, running/jogging,
swimming, surf life saving and walking dogs along the beach) are not considered to be
significant.
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 18 | Page
Operational noise
Marshall Day Acoustics looked at two different noise exposures during the operational
phase:
average noise exposure
single event noise exposure (a plane landing or leaving)
The change in average noise exposure will be minimal (0 - 2 dB) and would not be
noticeable by people living or recreating in the area.
The single event noise exposure will have a bigger impact (up to 4 dB) and will be
noticeable by residents and people recreating in Lyall Bay. However, the predicted
frequency of these events averages out at once a day (based on projected long-haul aircraft
movements to 2035). Visitors to Lyall Bay will certainly hear this and there is potential that,
kite surfers, surfers and windsurfers on occasion could have difficulty hearing each other
during departure/arrival of these bigger aircraft. However this effect needs to be
considered in context of the existing environment, which includes frequent aircraft
movements and as such the noise generated from these larger aircraft is unlikely to be
viewed as adverse in this context.
3.3 Construction phase activities
Haul traffic
The Traffic Design Group (TDG) has indicated a recommended haulage route.6 This shows a
weekday inbound haulage route (9.30am – 2.30pm) along State Highway 1 (SH1) and
Stewart Duff Drive to a site compound at the south eastern end of the existing runway and
a weekday outbound haulage route from there along Moa Point Road - Lyall Bay Parade as
far as the junction with Onepu Road where it will head north towards Evans Bay Parade and
back onto SH1 (Figure 12). A night - time haulage route has been identified for weekdays
only, operating between 10pm and 6am (Figure 13). This shows that the inbound and
outbound haulage route will be essentially the same as the daytime inbound route.
6 TDG, April 2016
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 19 | Page
Figure 12: Proposed day time inbound and outbound haulage routes
Figure 13: Proposed night time inbound and outbound haulage routes
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 20 | Page
The main interface between construction traffic and recreation will be between Moa Point
and the intersection of Lyall Bay Parade with Onepu Road. Recreational effects will be
limited primarily to cyclists sharing Moa Point Road with haul traffic. This assumes that
most haul traffic is by road rather than by sea. Haul traffic using either Nauranga Gorge or
Horokiwi quarries are not expected to cause adverse effects on recreation values between
those sites and the airport as most cyclists would not be on the same haul routes. Between
Evans Bay and the airport, cyclists and pedestrians are able to use a shared pathway
approximately 5 metres away from the haul route on SH1.
Most cyclists would be on Moa Point Road between Moa Point and the junction of Lyall Bay
Parade and Onepu Road for about 10 to 15 minutes heading in the same direction as the
haul trucks as they exit the construction site. It is understood that trucks would not be
moving through the tunnel under the runway nor using this route on weekends. Extra dust
and noise can therefore be expected for cyclists for brief periods along Moa Point Road
during weekdays.
Apart from the potential effects on cyclists during weekdays, there also appears to be
potential for increased traffic congestion in spring and summer around The Corner
(opposite the Spruce Goose Café) where haul trucks would be moving. In order to avoid
peak traffic periods, the assessment prepared by TDG recommends limiting construction
traffic to weekdays between 9.30am and 2.30pm and between 10pm and 6am. Thus on
weekends this will not be an issue for recreational traffic because haul traffic is not
proposed.
However it is noted that some weekdays in spring and summer can be busy with cars
moving in and out of The Corner car park.7 Although the TDG assessment determines that
there is capacity along this route to accommodate the haulage traffic, traffic management
measures will need to be in place to manage any potential safety effects on recreational
users (for example, people crossing the road between The Corner car park and the Spruce
Goose Café). To manage these potential effects, it is noted that a Construction Traffic
Management Plan, as set out in the TDG Report, will be implemented to minimise any
potential safety issues.
Pedestrians are not expected to be adversely affected by haul traffic along Moa Point Road
nor at Moa Point itself. This assessment is based on what is currently known about the
construction method and traffic management.
All other recreation activities would not be affected by haul traffic.
Sedimentation and turbidity
The plume modelling undertaken by NIWA to date shows little effect of turbidity from
construction activities on diving, fishing and spear fishing between Moa Point and Hue-te-
taha Peninsula. NIWA also note that sedimentation would be even less of an issue – due
not only to the low turbidity changes but the high exposure to waves. This negates any
significant settling of fine material. Obviously during rougher weather (when divers are not
active), the background turbidity increases ubiquitously along the south Wellington
coastline.
7 Personal observation and experience
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 21 | Page
Loss of opportunities
The extension will lead to a small area being lost for kai moana / gathering seafood
immediately south and to the east of the end of the existing runway. The remaining area
used for gathering seafood between Moa Point and Hue-te-taha Peninsula is expected to
remain open and accessible during construction. NIWA considers that if this nearby area is
impacted during construction, then it would be able to recover fully once construction is
completed. Mitigation measures suggested by NIWA would have a positive effect on lobster
populations and other marine biodiversity in the sub-tidal zone.
The only other loss of opportunity at this stage is the Airport Rights surf break that would
not exist after construction.
There is no indication of a loss of access for other recreation activities during or after
construction, at this stage.
3.4 Mitigation
Mitigation measures have been raised in other technical reports and are reinforced here to
minimise effects on recreation. These include:
1. Implementation of a Construction Traffic Management Plan that will factor in the
interface between haul traffic, cyclists, pedestrians and those visitors on scenic
drives during weekdays and those parking or moving along Moa Point Road, at The
Corner and along Lyall Bay Parade between The Corner and Onepu Road
2. Use of rock pools, crevices, shaded overhangs, prism-shaped indents and holes in
the accropods as well as a variety of smooth and pitted surfaces in the construction
of the runway extension sea wall to improve the habitat for lobster and other
marine biodiversity
3. Potential installation of a submerged structure to mitigate and provide better
shape to waves in Middle and West Beach
4. Recreational opportunities along the western edge of the airport by providing a
defined public walking route, access to the water’s edge by way of platforms set
into a new armoured sea wall, and opportunities for sitting/lookout areas
5. Creating a new edge along the eastern edge of the runway extension, which would
integrate the armoured edge of the runway with the existing ‘natural’ edge of the
embayment.
3.5 Conclusion
This report has described recreation activities occurring in and around Lyall Bay and
assessed the effects on these activities from the proposed extension to the Wellington
Airport runway.
The report concludes that the potential or actual adverse effects on recreational activities
would be minor or less. The loss of the Airport Rights surf break and area used for kai
moana off the end of the existing runway are localised losses, affecting a small group of
recreationists. Mitigation measures suggested for marine biodiversity would have a positive
effect for fishing and diving. There are also other alternatives for both these activities
nearby.
The survey of Wellington residents indicates that Lyall Bay is considered to have the same
or less level of importance for socially oriented beach activities than other alternatives in
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 22 | Page
the region (sight seeing, visiting cafes, strolling along the Parade and using the kids’ play
area). Lyall Bay is considered to hold about the same or higher levels of importance for
physical and water-based activities such as surfing, running/jogging and surf life saving. This
is primarily because it is the only relatively safe and large beach area on the city’s doorstep.
The proposed runway extension does not appear to threaten the value or use of Lyall Bay
for recreation. Those activities that may be most impacted are surfing and to a lesser extent
cycling during the construction phase. The effects on surfing are likely to be minor with the
potential for a slight reduction of wave rides in The Corner and a higher reduction of wave
rides at Middle Beach and West Beach. A submerged structure is currently being
considered to address the quality of waves at Middle Beach and West Beach. This has the
potential to improve surfing at Lyall Bay.
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 23 | Page
Appendix 1: Documents reviewed
Absolutely Positively Wellington, Gavin Armstrong, Dog Exercise Area Survey, 2008
Absolutely Positively Wellington, Wellington City Council 2013/14 Annual Report, 2014
Boffa Miskell, April 2015, Assessment of Landscape and Visual Effects
Boffa Miskell, April 2015, Assessment of Urban Planning and Urban Design Effects
DHI, May 2015, Wellington Airport Runway Extension – Surf break assessment
NIWA, February 2015, Assessment of ecological effects of the reclamation and
extension of Wellington Airport
Lyall Bay Surf Reef Trust, Lyall Bay Surf Reef – Social and Economic Assessment, 2003
Marshall Day Acoustics, Noise modelling for post-construction period
Raukura Consultants, November 2014, Cultural values report
Traffic Design Group, April 2015 and April 2016, Transportation assessment reports
URS, April 2015, Construction noise report
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 24 | Page
Appendix 2: People consulted
Names Organisation
Arie Moore Lyall Bay Surf Life Saving Club
Marc Pulepule Maranui Surf Life Saving Club
Various club members and officials Wellington Boardriders
Blaise St-Laurent plus other kite surfers Wellington Kite Surfers
Esteban Funes, Lawrence Young Wellington Windsurfing Association
Dave McPhee Wild Winds (retail and instruction)
Roger Real Surf (retail and surf instruction)
Laurel Smith Marshall Day Acoustics
Mark Georgeson Traffic Design Group
Rob Bell NIWA
Mark James Aquatic Sciences
Ben Tuckey DHI, Auckland
Tony Scuba Diving / Mana Dive Spot
Tim Island Bay Divers
Darran Humpheson, John Bull URS, Christchurch
Michael Oates, David Stuart, Tom Petit Wellington City Council
Marc Bailey, Boyden Evans, Fiona Whyte Boffa Miskell
Date: 25 April 2016 Prepared for: Wellington International Airport Limited 25 | Page
Appendix 3 – Observation Locations
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Table 1: Summary of raw data observations drawn from 6 observation sites