4.11 Natural hazards
1. Activity table
Activity Activity status
Development - general
New buildings, structures and infrastructure on land which may be subject to natural hazards
  RD
Exterior additions or alterations to any building or structure on land which may be subject to natural hazards  RD
The placement of any septic tank, wastewater treatment and disposal system, effluent disposal field, underground storage tank, water tank or stormwater pipe or soakage field on land which may be subject to natural hazards
  RD
Development - coastal areas
The placement of any materials, objects or structures, in or on any beach above mean MHWS that may serve as a defence against coastal erosion
  D
The modification, alteration or removal of sand dunes and vegetation on sand dunes within 40m of MHWS  D
Development - coastal inundation and sea level rise
New dwellings and habitable floors of non-dwellings on land identified as being subject to coastal inundation and sea level rise
  P
2. Controls
2.1 Permitted activities - development in coastal areas
1. Finished floor levels for new dwellings and habitable rooms within coastal inundation areas must be at least 500mm above the mapped 1 per cent AEP storm tide inundation plus 1 metre projected sea level rise but with the following exceptions that is not required to meet this control:
a. minor additions of less than 25m2 to existing buildings.
2. All new buildings in coastal inundation areas must be designed to ensure that structural integrity will be maintained during a 1 per cent ARI storm tide event taking account of the 100 year sea level rise figure.
2.2 Restricted discretionary activities
1. All consent applications for restricted discretionary activities must include a report by a suitably qualified engineer that confirms that the land on which the activity is located is not subject to the following:
a. coastal erosion or inundation over a 100 year timeframe; or
b. land instability.
3. Assessment - Restricted discretionary activities
3.1 Matters of discretion
The council will restrict its discretion to the matters below for restricted discretionary activities:

1.The type of activity being undertaken and its vulnerability to natural hazard events.
2.The consequences of a natural hazard event in relation to more or less vulnerable activities.
3.Possible effects on public safety and other property.
4.The likelihood of a natural hazard event occurring and the likely extent of any damage.
5.Any exacerbation of an existing natural hazard or creation of a new natural hazard.
6.Effects on landscape values.
7.Effects on public access.
8.The use of non-structural solutions instead of hard engineering solutions.
9.The ability to relocate coastal buildings or structures
10.The ability to design and construct buildings or structures so that they are resilient to natural hazards.
3.2 Assessment criteria
The council will consider the relevant assessment criteria below for restricted discretionary activities. 
1. The likelihood of a natural hazard event occurring, its magnitude and duration, the consequences of the event and its possible effects on public health and safety. Consideration will include the extent to which site-specific analysis of the natural hazard, such as engineering stability or flooding reports, and its effects have been undertaken, and any other information the council may have on the site and surrounding land.
2. The extent to which the proposal and any subsequent land use is likely to affect the potential impacts of the natural hazard present, or has the potential to create a new natural hazard on the subject land and any adjacent land. In considering this, regard will be had as to whether the proposal is likely to:
a. avoid, remedy or mitigate the potential impacts of the natural hazard; or
b. accelerate or worsen the natural hazard and/or the potential impacts of the natural hazard.
3. The extent to which the proposal ensures that any above ground or underground storage tanks installed in natural hazard-prone areas are protected from damage, flooding, spilling, dislocation and leakage in the event of a natural hazard event.
4. The extent to which the proposal ensures that hazardous substances stored in natural hazard-prone areas are protected from flooding, spillage and leakage in the event of a natural hazard event.
5. The extent to which the proposal includes non-structural solutions such as planting to avoid, remedy or mitigate the hazard rather than hard engineering solutions.
6. The extent to which landscape values, and public access are affected by any structure used to avoid, remedy or mitigate any natural hazard.
7. The extent to which any building, structure or activity located in a natural hazard area near the coast, can be relocated in the event of severe coastal erosion and shoreline retreat.