Fast-track for Waterview draws criticism

Project Manager Rachel Kirk, Transport Minister Steven Joyce and NZ Transport Association Regional Director Wayne McDonald walk through the construction site for the Hobsonville Deviation project yesterday. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Auckland's $1.4 billion Waterview motorway project is being lined up for a new accelerated national consenting process, to the dismay of community groups.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce announced in Auckland yesterday that Waterview would be the first transport project to be put to the new Environmental Protection Authority as a candidate for a fast-tracked consent application.

He said the Transport Agency had decided to invoke a "call-in" process for the project, for an application to be lodged with the authority by about June.

That would replace the usual two-step process for planning consents involving hearings by local councils and then the Environment Court, increasing the likelihood of completing the Waterview link between the Southwestern and Northwestern Motorways by 2015-16.

The authority will recommend to Environment Minister Nick Smith whether to call in the project and, if so, whether he should refer it to the court or set up a board of inquiry to hold a single hearing able to be challenged only on points of law to the court.

Should Dr Smith decide to appoint a board, to be chaired by a current or former Environment Court judge or a retired High Court judge, it will be required to made a decision no later than nine months after the Waterview application is publicly notified.

Mr Joyce said that although public rights to make submissions would remain unchanged, there would be "a clock ticking on the project" to ensure the consenting process was completed within a reasonable period.

But community groups opposed to the project were swift to condemn the plan to deal Auckland City Council or the new Auckland Council out of a judicial role in the process.

"It's a rort of the local democratic process that allows the local community to have a say at their local council level," said Eden-Albert Community Board deputy chairman Phil Chase.

"It cuts the community out of having a say at the council level and kicks it straight into a legal process, which is always much more difficult for local individuals or community groups to have a say in because it is so technical and legalistic."

Tunnel or Nothing spokeswoman Margi Watson, a Waterview resident, also said local concerns needed to be addressed by a democratically elected body and feared hefty legal costs for community and environment groups if their only resort was to a court or board of inquiry.

Waterview project director Clive Fuhr said earlier that there had been a number of non-transport applications under the call-in process, in which board chairmen had been "very sensitive in trying to ensure the community had every opportunity to have its say".

But although Dr Smith will be required to ask Auckland City for suggestions for appointments to the board, he will retain ultimate responsibility for its composition.

Mr Joyce also yesterday announced that the Transport Agency had appointed contractors for an early start, before the end of this year, on an enlarged interchange between the Northwestern Motorway and Lincoln Rd in Henderson.

He said the project, which the agency estimates will cost about $100 million to clear a notorious bottleneck, was needed for West Auckland commuters to get the full benefits of the 48km western ring route being built between Manukau City and Albany.

The agency intends spending about $860 million widening the motorway from St Lukes to Massey, including widening at least three interchanges and raising the marine causeway between Waterview and the end of Rosebank Peninsula.

But it has allocated $242 million for the causeway as part of the Waterview project, which will include 2.4km of twin tunnels.

Mr Joyce made his announcement on the site of the $220 million Hobsonville motorway project, another component of the western route, of which Waterview will be the final link.

He was told contractors had removed 970,000 cubic metres of a required 1.4 million cubic metres of earth for the Hobsonville project, which will extend the Northwestern Motorway by 3km and add 6km of motorway to State Highway 18 by 2012.

ROAD AHEAD

* 4.35km Waterview motorway project to be put on a fast-track for planning consents. Project cost: $1.4 billion (including $242 million for widening and raising a marine causeway on neighbouring Northwestern Motorway).
* Construction to start before end of year on enlarging of the Lincoln Rd interchange with the Northwestern. Cost: About $100 million.