KEY POINTS:
An upgrade to a major road on Auckland's North Shore could be delayed for months as the Historic Places Trust checks out a newly discovered midden.
The midden - a site where food remains such as shells, bones and charcoal from fires were thrown or buried - was discovered when a pohutukawa tree was removed from the Esmonde Rd-Lake Rd construction site in Takapuna.
North Shore City corridor project team manager Graham Nell said the midden had been inspected by local iwi and an archaeologist and was now waiting for clearance from the Historic Places Trust.
"The Historic Places Trust needs to follow the proper procedures to have the midden investigated and documented, and this can take several months," Mr Nell said.
"In the meantime, work on this part of the project has had to be suspended."
The new intersection is being upgraded at a cost of $1.4 million.
- NZPA
