Waikuku Beach Community Facilities Development Plan

What should we be prioritising?

This plan will be our roadmap for developing and managing the space at Waikuku Beach. It aligns with the Waikuku Beach Spatial Activity Plan to ensure everything is well-thought-out, cohesive and beneficial for our community in the long run. We’re excited to create a space that everyone can enjoy for years to come.

These have been our challenges at Waikuku Beach

• Limited circulation and parking. We know parking and getting around can be tough, especially during the busy summer months.
• Drainage issues - the beach front car park often faces drainage problems due to shifting sand, leading to ponding after rain.
• Accessibility concerns - accessibility throughout the site has been identified as needing improvement. Whilst the platforms are helping people, there is further improvement to be done around the car parks functionality and the public toilets.
• Pedestrian circulation / connectivity - needs to be more user-friendly. Currently, there are no designated paths from the entrance to the beach, which can be challenging for many visitors. Additionally, the small sandy walkway from the central car park to the beach access ramp is uneven and has exposed tree roots, making it difficult for some people to navigate.
• The visual appeal and design of the area is lacking and could be enhanced. Improving the aesthetics of the site would help to create a more welcoming, pleasant and visually appealing environment for all visitors.

These are our proposed solutions: What should we be prioritising as part of this plan?

Beach front car park - car parking / drainage:

A. Drainage fix: We are proposing to introduce a swale and water retention area to resolve ponding issues, ensuring we don’t lose 4–8 parking spaces covered in ponding water during rainfall.

B. Oversized spaces: Adding two oversized spaces on the beach side for larger vehicles, which can also serve as accessible parking if needed.

Current beach front car park

Central car park - car parking:

C. Organised parking: This large shingle area is proposed to be sealed and marked to accommodate around 40 cars in an organised manner to help maximise its use.

D. Additional spaces: Formalising five spaces along the road before the central car park and three unmarked spaces south of the toilet block to improve parking.

E. Improved circulation: Adding entry/exit points and angle parking to maximize spaces and improve traffic flow.

Current central car park

Accessibility:

We’re working with the Ocean Advocacy Group (OAAR) and the Waimakariri Access Group to provide an ocean access beach mat for all users, including those with accessibility challenges. While this project isn’t part of the car park renewal, it’s included in the parking and accessibility plan to ensure a comprehensive approach to accessibility. We’ve consulted with OAAR to capture their feedback and address their needs.

F. Accessible parking - we’ve included three designated accessible spaces, following Sport NZ’s Accessibility Design Guidelines, to ensure adequate provision for all users.

G. Bike racks and outdoor shower - there are concerns about the location of bike racks and an outdoor shower, as bikes left on the ground can block access to facilities. We’ve noted that providing bike racks at nearby Pegasus Beach has set clear expectations for bike storage, and we hope to achieve the same at Waikuku.

H. Toilet facilities - the current toilet facilities are scheduled to be renewed in 2052. While functional, these facilities don’t match the quality of newer toilets and there are no separate changing facilities.

I. Pedestrian access – we’re planning to create clear and easy walkways throughout the site. This will make it safer and more convenient for everyone to enjoy the beach.

Visual appeal

The existing vegetation is proposed to be tidied up to boost biodiversity and prevent the space being used for dumping sand and debris, which contributes to the ponding of water. These improvements will not only support the environment but also help create a more welcoming and enjoyable place for everyone.

What do we have funding locked in for?

The current Council Long Term Plan (LTP) includes a budget for renewing the car parks at Waikuku Beach and native planting and beach access.

Waikuku Beach Community Facilities Development Plan - budgets and timeframes:

* Unbudgeted future projects have not been cost estimated at this point in time. If these were to become Council led projects in the future, they would be estimated at that point and the relevant LTP would be applied to at that stage.

Toilets

The toilet facilities at Waikuku Beach, while still serving their purpose, are due for renewal in 2052. In the meantime, there is a growing interest in enhancing these amenities to better meet the needs of the community and visitors. The Woodend Sefton Community Board has put forward a proposal for upgrading the facilities earlier, with a focus on improving accessibility and adding changing rooms, similar to those at Pegasus Beach. These improvements would help create a more comfortable and inclusive experience for families, beach-goers, and recreational users alike and we would like to hear your thoughts about this proposal.

Beach volleyball

In May 2024, Council staff engaged with the community to explore the idea of installing a beach volleyball court at the north oval. The feedback received reflected a range of views. While there was general support for a volleyball court in Waikuku Beach, many community members expressed a preference for a different location than the north oval.

In response to this input, we are now asking for further feedback on two alternative locations. These new options have been carefully selected to address the concerns raised during the initial consultation and to better align with the community’s vision for the area. It makes sense for us to ask for feedback on this volleyball project at the same time we are seeking feedback on the Waikuku Beach Community Facilities Development Plan.

A local community member is leading this exciting project to build a volleyball court in Waikuku and is already working hard to source funding. To make this dream a reality, we’ll need a bit more support to cover the costs of building and maintaining the court. We’d love to know if anyone else in the community would be interested in being part of a small group to help with fundraising. Every bit of help makes a big difference.

Please let us know which location you would prefer for the volleyball court and whether you’d like to be part of the fundraising group.

You can find out more about the beach volleyball project in the staff report presented to the Woodend Sefton Community Board on 11 March 2025.

Come Chat with us

You can come and chat with the project team about the Waikuku Beach Community Facilities Development Plan. Whether you have questions, ideas, want to learn more or drop off a completed paper feedback form, we’d love to see you.

Waikuku Beach Hall

• Tuesday 22 July 2025 – drop in anytime between 12 noon and 2 pm
• Friday 25 July 2025 – drop in anytime between 4 pm and 6 pm

No appointment needed, just come by when it suits you. We look forward to seeing you there.

Venue for the drop-in session