Survey work planned for the Taihape West Slip

Council has engaged Earth Sciences NZ to carry out the field work, which is expected to take place during the week of 31 August to 3 September, weather dependant.

As part of the work, survey staff will need to access a small number of private properties where existing survey markers are located which are still in place from previous survey work. Most survey points are within the road reserve, the former school grounds and hospital land, meaning access to private land will be limited.

Earth Sciences New Zealand will contact affected property owners before entering private property and will work with them to arrange suitable access.

The field work is expected to have minimal impact. In most locations, surveyors will simply locate an existing survey marker and record its position using specialist equipment, a process that generally takes only a few minutes. At several control points on farmland, a survey tripod will be left in place during the day while measurements are collected.

In addition to the survey work, Earth Sciences New Zealand specialists will undertake a visual inspection of the wider slip area to assess its landform and condition.

Mayor Andy Watson said the work formed part of Council's ongoing commitment to understanding natural hazards and making informed decisions for the future.

"Having good, up-to-date information helps us better understand how this area is behaving over time and supports future planning and risk management."

"This isn't about responding to a recent event. It's about making sure we're using the best available information to guide future decisions and we'd like to thank affected property owners in advance for their cooperation."

Council appreciates the assistance of residents who may be affected by the survey work and will continue to keep the community informed as the project progresses.