About the Shoreline Adaptation Programme

Shoreline Adaptation Plans (SAPs)

SAPs look at how we can manage council-owned assets and land across Auckland’s 3200km of shorelines (beaches, cliffs, harbours and estuaries) to respond to coastal hazards and climate change over the next 100 years.

Have your say on Auckland's shorelines

Visit Have your say on Auckland's shorelines for a detailed map of SAP areas and to have your say on current SAP consultations.

How we develop SAPs

We develop each SAP in partnership with mana whenua and guidance from infrastructure providers, technical experts and coastal communities.

Working together in this way will help guide the way we manage our coastlines and adapt to the impacts of coastal hazards and climate change into the future.

Once completed, each SAP will outline a flexible, long-term coastal management response for council-owned land and assets in its area.

Stages of the Shoreline Adaptation Plan process

Each SAP includes ongoing consultation with local iwi and several months of local community engagement. This helps us to understand how communities use and value coastal areas.

Each SAP follows a process that involves:

• local iwi review and approval
• community engagement through public presentations and consultations
• strategy development based on research and feedback from local iwi, infrastructure providers, council controlled organisations (CCOs) and community values
• draft and review
• local board endorsement
• final approval by the Governing Body.

Shoreline Adaptation Plan strategies

We apply four strategies to each SAP. These guide decisions around how to manage council-owned assets and land in each SAP area.

1. No active intervention: Let nature take its course without intervention. We apply this strategy to coastal areas where council-owned land and assets are not exposed to coastal hazards or catchment flooding. This strategy invests in hazard-risk management, like land stability, but does not invest in hazard protection structures.
2. Limited interventions: Allowing for some maintenance to existing coastal defences, and ensuring we keep assets safe while accepting that processes like wind, waves and storms will change the position of the coastline over time. This strategy also identifies that some assets or uses (like footpaths, sports fields and carparks) may need to be moved to manage potential risks.
3. Hold the line: Defending council-owned assets and land from erosion and flooding, and preserving these areas (like walkways and sports fields) for their intended uses. We can do this by taking protective measures like building sea walls and planting dunes.
4. Managed realignment: Planning for changes to the coastline and managing risks by moving assets, uses and infrastructure away from the coast and hazard-prone areas.

Watch the Introduction to Shoreline Adaptation Plans video

Read the full transcript of this video.

Coastal Management Framework

SAPs are key to implementing the 2017 Coastal Management Framework and Te Tāuke-a-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan to help prepare Auckland and its coastal areas for ongoing environmental challenges.

Get a copy of the Coastal Management Framework

Read the 2022 Coastal Hazard Assessment Guidance

Map of Auckland’s coastal erosion

Our online coastal mapping platform shows Auckland’s coastal areas that could be affected by coastal instability and erosion.

More information

Email shorelineadaptationplans@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz for further detail on this project.