Gas pipeline too close to our homes, say farmers

Rodney farmers are fighting a proposed high-pressure gas pipeline they say will pass too close to homes and interfere with activities.

On Friday, planning commissioners are to hear a plan by network operator Vector to designate a route for a pipeline to feed a Rodney power station.

Planning approval for a Genesis Energy station to be built between Helensville and Kaukapakapa was granted by the Rodney District Council in March but it is subject to appeals.

Residents fought the station on environmental grounds, and now face round two of their expensive battle with the big energy corporations.

"We say we are entitled to have protection of our rural amenity from our council," said Megan Paterson, one of 24 residents who have formed the Punganui Residents Association.

Vector already has a northern pipeline crossing rural Rodney on its way from the Taranaki gas fields to Marsden Pt.

It says the new pipeline will be beside the existing one for 21km from Taupaki to Ararimu Valley Rd.

But then it will veer away westward over pasture and along roads for 9km to reach Punganui, near the power station.

"We say Vector should use another existing pipeline that it has to supply Helensville," said Mrs Paterson.

"But Vector has dismissed that in its notice of requirement, saying that pipeline cannot take the capacity needed for a power station."

Punganui, 50km from downtown Auckland, has a mixture of dairy farms, beef-fattening operations and lifestyle blocks.

"The route goes as close as 10m from some homes and you are not allowed to plant a shelter belt or even dig down more than 0.4m over a pipeline," Mrs Paterson said.

"While they are laying it on narrow roads, it will affect stock movement, trucks, the school bus and horse floats."

Council planners recommend the designation, with modifications and subject to conditions. One of these is to lay the pipeline 1m from the road boundary to ease disruption to access.

Vector says the designation will reduce from an initial width of 25m to 12m once the pipeline is in and the grass restored.