A Karaka Bay resident says the council's plan to stop erosion - using dark rocks instead of river stones - will wreck the look of the beach, reports Kieran Nash.

Helen Momota is not a fan of erosion. But the Karaka Bay resident is concerned that Auckland City Council's works to thwart erosion on her favourite section of coastline have swept aside local concerns.

The council will install gabion baskets this month on parts of the idyllic Glendowie Beach to protect the grass frontage from being washed away with the tide. Gabion baskets are a rock-filled wire mesh planted over with grass.

Ms Momota says Auckland City Council is imposing them on Karaka Bay residents. "It's absolutely hideous. They're planning to barge ahead - literally."

She is concerned with what she calls the "whole lack of openness, transparency and democratic accountability".