The owner of a popular Eskdale brewery and garden bar severely flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle has welcomed this week’s zoning announcement and says: “There was no future for us on that land.”

A large part of Esk Valley was provisionally zoned category three on Thursday, which is the highest-risk category and means the area has provisionally been deemed unsafe to live on due to unacceptable flood risks.

A total of 236 properties in Hawke’s Bay have been provisionally included in category three, including a large part of Esk Valley just north of Napier, a section around Tangoio Beach and small pockets of Pakowhai, Rissington and Twyford.

The Government also announced on Thursday it would team up with councils and offer any properties in category three a voluntary buyout option in the future.

Chris Barber, owner of Zeelandt Brewery, said he had already decided not to rebuild the business in Eskdale or return to his family’s flooded home.

The provisional zoning for Esk Valley, north of Napier. Much of the area has been determined unfit to live on in the future, but that could change following further consultation. Photo / Supplied

He said this week’s zoning decision meant they could settle insurance and move on.

“For us, we are happy an announcement has come out. There was no future for us on that land, as we had it as a business.

“That should make the insurance company’s business a bit easier because they were looking at whether we repair the commercial building or we demolish, but now that is clean cut.”

Barber and his young family survived the February floods by climbing into the ceiling of their home to escape rising floodwaters.

“We were expecting a category three announcement and that is what we got,” he said. “We can start moving on [now] and put it behind us and get back on the horse.”

The Cone and Flower garden bar operated by Zeelandt Brewery and Petane Wines had been operating for just over a year when Cyclone Gabrielle hit. Photo / Skye Clark

He was unsure what this week’s announcement would mean for businesses in the valley in terms of government support.

His brother, Philip Barber, who operates Petane Wines next door to Zeelandt Brewery, had his vineyard destroyed.

Chris said they had a unique set-up, sharing the garden bar and operating next to one another. With the vineyard being wiped out, it had helped them decide to move on.

“The brewery and the garden bar and the vineyard were all part of our story.

“So once you lose one aspect like the vineyard then that was a big part of our story missing and we did not want to continue the brewery or the garden bar. Philip was not going to replant because the rebuilding phase was going to take so long.”

Zeelandt is currently brewing beer out of Auckland. Customers can also help support the business by buying online from zeelandt.co.nz.

Chris said he was weighing up the future of the business, but he and his family would remain in Hawke’s Bay.

Designations for properties in category two or three are indicative only, meaning they could still be moved to another category after community consultation, which will begin later this month.