Council says pylons an air hazard

Transpower's planned pylons breach the safety airspace for Ardmore Airport and stand at the fringes of Auckland Airport's air-safety zone.

Manukau City Council said yesterday two pylons planned for the Brookby ridge violate Ardmore's airspace, as outlined in the Manukau City Council district plan, by 10m to 15m.

Council director of environmental management Chris Freke said the pylons were also borderline for Auckland Airport and that there were doubts about two others. The council planned to use the oversight to oppose the plan at the consent stage, he said.

"And it's not just air safety, it's the pylons' appearance, their threat to further development in the area, and Transpower's mandate of pursuing the cheapest option ... We plan to lodge a submission opposing it and taking that as far as we can."

Transpower spokesman Chris Roberts said the council had drawn its conclusions from incorrect data, saying the breach was less than one metre.

"Transpower will design towers, and undertake earthworks, if necessary, to ensure the towers will not exceed the Auckland and Ardmore height restrictions."

Mr Roberts said he was aware that the council and local lobby groups wanted the electricity cables to be underground, but Transpower had rejected that as "uneconomic".

The preliminary route for the pylons, released in January, is part of Transpower's answer to Auckland's power woes. It includes 430 towers carrying high-voltage lines - some up to 70m high - between Otahuhu and Whakamaru in South Waikato.