Mills Street Stopbank Project
Enhancing Flood Protection for Lower Hutt
At Holmwoods, we're committed to delivering ambitious, high-impact projects that make a real difference. The Mills Street Stopbank Project is no exception. As the client-side Project Manager for Greater Wellington, we’ve been at the forefront of a transformative initiative aimed at improving flood protection along Te Awa Kairangi / the Hutt River in Lower Hutt.
Holmwoods were brought on board in late 2023 and tasked with getting work started as soon as possible, we got straight to work with the design team (Aecom), we led the contractor procurement and project start up – working with a highly collaborative client in Greater Wellington Regional Council (GW) we were able to kick into full construction in February 2024. The project ran very smoothly and reached Practical Completion on 2nd October 2024—on time and on budget — thanks to the seamless collaboration fostered on the project between ourselves, AECOM, Fletcher Construction, Octa and Greater Wellington. Under a NZS 3910 measure and value contract, our team provided comprehensive oversight, contract administration, and project advice, ensuring that every aspect was executed flawlessly.
The Mills Street Stopbank Project is a critical step in mitigating flood risks in an area historically vulnerable to severe weather events like Cyclone Gabrielle. This project enhances flood protection from a one-in-65-year event to a one-in-200-year event, raising existing stopbanks by approximately 1.5 meters and constructing 460 meters of permanent stopbanks and 270 meters of temporary stopbanks.
But this project isn’t just about protecting today—it’s about building resilience for the future. By strengthening flood defences, it ensures that Lower Hutt will be better prepared for the challenges of climate change and severe weather events in the years to come.
Once the remaining components of Riverlink are completed, the project will play a part in providing Hutt City with a one-in-440-year protection.
We’re proud of the role we’ve played in the delivery of this vital infrastructure project, and we invite you to explore the site firsthand through the project video linked below. It’s a true testament to what happens when expertise, collaboration, and a can-do attitude come together to achieve results that matter.
Holmwoods have been retained by GW to help them plan the next phases of flood defence for Te Awa Kairangi, so watch this space for more exiting projects.
