Final decision released on Christchurch Southern Motorway proposal

8 November 2013

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has today released the Board of Inquiry’s final decision and report on the New Zealand Transport Agency’s (NZTA) application for the Christchurch Southern Motorway Stage 2 and Main South Road Four Laning proposal.

The decision confirms the three notices of requirement and grants the 15 resource consents applied for, subject to certain conditions.

NZTA’s application was directed to an independent Board of Inquiry in December 2012 as a proposal of national significance by Minister for the Environment Amy Adams.

The EPA’s Chair, Kerry Prendergast, says she is pleased the Board reached its decision within the required nine-month timeframe, as it gives certainty to the local community and shows that the process for considering applications of national significance was working well.

“I would like to thank the Chair of the Board, the Honorary Barry Paterson, and the other Board members for their efforts with this proposal,” says Ms Prendergast.

The final report and decision has been sent to all the parties involved in the application and is also available on the EPA’s website.

The final report and decision

[ENDS]

Notes to Editors

In summary, the Board has confirmed three notices of requirement and granted 15 resource consent applications, subject to the conditions given in the conditions document.

This decision should be referred to as the independent Board of Inquiry’s decision. It was made independently of both the Minister for the Environment and the EPA. The EPA releases the decision and report on behalf of the Board in its role as facilitator of the process.

Since 2009, boards of inquiry have made decisions on the following applications:

• New Zealand Transport Agency’s (NZTA) Waterview proposal

• Contact Energy’s Tauhara II geothermal proposal

• Department of Correction’s Wiri Prison proposal

• NZTA’s Transmission Gully Plan Change

• NZTA’s Transmission Gully Proposal

• Mighty River Power Ltd’s Turitea Wind Farm proposal

• Contact Wind and Contact Energy Ltd’s Hauāuru mā raki wind farm proposal

Boards of Inquiry are currently considering the following applications:

• Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Investment Company’s Ruitaniwha Water Storage Scheme proposal and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Plan Change 6 proposal

• NZTA’s Basin Bridge proposal

• NZTA’s Peka Peka to North Ōtaki proposal

• Tainui Group Holdings Limited and Chedworth Properties Limited’s Ruakura Development Plan Change request

• NZTA’s Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Wellsford Road of National Significance: Pūhoi to Warkworth section proposal

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