Further, the Otago Regional Council has denied it told Hector’s dolphin advocate Genevieve Robinson, of Christchurch, the work — the driving-in of piles — was a "non-permitted activity".
A council spokesman yesterday said staff inspected the site on Tuesday "in order to verify what activity was happening" at the Dunedin City Council-owned jetty in Otago Harbour.
"Staff speaking to a member of the public about the work at the jetty explained that some work in the coastal area requires permits and the work being carried out may require a consent," he said.
"Based on our inspection on-site, the work was determined to be compliant with our permitted activity rules for the maintenance of an existing structure."
He it was "replacement" work that the DCC had discussed with the ORC in August last year.
DCC parks and recreation group manager Robert West said the work that had sparked Ms Robinson’s concerns was "regular maintenance"; its contractor was replacing two vessel impact piles that had broken off.
The DCC’s coastal permit was updated in 2018 to allow commercial use of the jetty — it had for the previous 12 years been prohibited.
There were four piles across the front of the jetty that had "progressively broken since that date".
The DCC paid $10,000 for each of the piles it repaired.
As the replacement piles were steel they would last longer "in the harsh conditions and high loading at Wellers Rock".
Fenders attached to the pontoon would spread the loading and reduce the need for two piles to the seabed.
Ms Robinson said there had been no provision made for the impact on marine mammals and whether the council called the work a replacement, or a repair, or "a new project without a consent — whichever way it is not acceptable".
