Petone wharf was closed after being damaged in the November 14 earthquake. It was a popular spot for recreational fishers.

A question mark over four quake-damaged Lower Hutt wharves, seems sure to cause a heated debate as ratepayers faces a massive repair bill in the millions.

In the mid-1990s, a Hutt City Council proposal to demolish the historic Rona Bay Wharf lead to a bitter scrap and even threats to join Wellington City.

Now Eastbourne's Rona Bay, Days Bay and Pt Howard are again in the spotlight, as is Petone Wharf.

FAIRFAX NZ Petone Wharf has always been popular with fishermen like Tama Toa. The Hutt City Council is facing a massive bill to keep its four wharves open.

Built in 1907, Petone Wharf, is currently closed after suffering significant damage in the November 14 earthquake.

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* Earthquake closes favourite fishing spot

* Part of wharf closed after rotten pile found

* Call to make Days Bay Wharf safer

Parks manager Bruce Hodgins is promising extensive public consultation on the future of the wharves.

STUFF The Hutt City Council is looking at the future of its four wharves, including Days Bays which is used by the East by West Ferry.

The council is treating them as a package, giving the community the chance to comment on all four..

A report from Calibre Consultants found the wharves needed extensive work, as well as expensive on-going maintenance.

Petone needs urgent repairs, estimated at $447,600 just to make it safe. The bill to refurbish it is $4.7 million and replacement $8.2 million.

"Petone Wharf is at the end of its economic life and requires significant investment to return the wharf to a light recreational wharf standard," the report said.

The future of the wharves is complicated by a number of issues. Days Bay is used by the East by West Ferry and is popular with swimmers.

If a large earthquake strikes, Days Bay would be used to service Eastbourne.

The council needs to spend $400,000 to keep it going until 2024. Some $2 million is needed long term.

It is not, however, only the cost that has to be taken into account. The hard wood needed to repair it, is difficult to source locally, Hodgins said.

"We would have to go to South America, or some such place, and then there is the argument, whether or not that is sustainable."

Pt Howard arguably gets the least use of the four wharves and bringing it up scratch would cost $2.3 million.

Rona Bay Wharf required $200,000 over the next 10 years. Much of the structure was already out of the water and Hodgins said that with the seabed rising, it could soon be high and dry.

Hodgins acknowledged that demolishing any of the wharves seemed unlikely.

Councillors, he said, faced a tough decision balancing the cost of maintaining the wharves against public expectations. The wharves were used by recreational fishers and had heritage values that would be lost with new concrete structures.

Eastbourne Community Board chairwoman Virginia Horrocks expected a vigorous debate.

The case for retaining and refurbishing Days Bay was strong and she predicted locals would concentrate on Rona Bay. It had heritage values and despite being in shallow water, it was still used by fishers.

The case of Pt Howard was less clear, but she was glad that residents would get the chance to have a say.

As to whether or not the debate would again lead to a breakaway movement, Horrocks said only time would tell.