Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) is urging the public to stay out of the active construction zone at the Waiohiki stopbank site, due to serious safety concerns.

After 18 months of planning, construction is now underway, but an alarming number of people are entering the site without authorisation, putting themselves and work crews at serious risk.

Located along the Tūtaekurī River between Lennox Park and the Redclyffe Bridge, the site is a high-risk work area. Heavy machinery is operating close to the river, and many of these machines have limited visibility. Operators often wear hearing protection, meaning they may not see or hear someone entering unexpectedly.

Despite signage, fencing at entry points, and additional security near the bridge in place, people continue to enter the site without permission. This is deeply concerning. It puts individuals at serious risk and disrupts essential flood protection work. After hours, the site remains dangerous, with uneven ground, heavy machinery, incomplete structures, and materials that could pose a hazard.

Regional Council Project Manager Mell Anderson says, “We’re committed to delivering flood protection for the Waiohiki community as quickly as possible, but we can only do that safely and efficiently if people stay out of the restricted area. Every time someone enters the site, we have to shut down operations immediately to protect both them and our crews. That triggers a full team alert and a safe escort out of the zone. These incidents cause unnecessary delays and slow down progress on critical infrastructure that’s designed to protect homes and businesses.”

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is urging the public to respect all signage, stay out of the construction zone, and help ensure this vital work can be completed safely and without further delay.

Puketapu Loop cycle trail detour

The Puketapu Loop has a clearly signposted on-road detour starting at Lennox Park. The trail along the stopbank next to the Tūtaekurī river is closed while the Waiohiki stopbank is being constructed. If you’re not comfortable cycling or walking on-road, we recommend turning back at Lennox Park. There is currently no walking or cycling access between Lennox Park and Waiohiki/Redclyffe Bridge in either direction.

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