We don't want pylon money, say landowners

Landowners in the way of giant pylons say they are not interested in compensation for allowing the proposed transmission line near their homes - they just want the plan killed.

Transpower revealed yesterday the final route of 430 towers - some almost 70m high - carrying high-voltage lines between Otahuhu and Whakamaru in south Waikato.

Transpower will push to buy easements or whole properties along the proposed route.

It has already bought one farm near Whitford in South Auckland which the owner had put on the market - but other property owners told the Herald they were not interested in compensation.

"Transpower's easements and designations are the worst scenarios, to be honest," said Brookby resident Neil Fuller.

"They think it'll be sweet, and it satisfies requirements by saying we'll just buy you out, but that's absolute rubbish because it's our life. You can't buy our life.

"We're gutted. It's a health risk, an aviation risk, a visual eyesore ... and I believe there are alternatives."

His anger was shared by Steve Hunt, whose Hunua lifestyle block would have to accommodate a pylon about 60m from his home.

"We are categorically not interested in easement. We built our own house, we've been here 15 years, and the scale of this infrastructure is absolutely ginormous compared with the existing infrastructure.

"Our lives are still on hold."

The state enterprise sent out information packs to the 297 landowners directly affected by the 400kV line.

The 186km line, which is subject to approval by the Electricity Commission, is the company's proposal to solve Auckland's future energy demands.

Peter Buckley, president of Federated Farmers' Waikato branch, said many members wanted the plan killed.

"But farmers don't believe it will go away. They're not against Auckland getting the power they need, just the way they're going to get it and the effects from that."

He said his members, who made up more than half of the affected landowners, were relieved the route had been announced "so they definitely know where the pylons will go, if the plan goes ahead".

"But they're waiting in trepidation for the commission to see what they are recommending."

He added there was also concern, if the plan gained approval, about whether landowners would be properly compensated. Transpower spokesman Chris Roberts said about 40 landowners had approached the company about selling their land. "And in the information packages sent out we have advised that [we] will be contacting them in the next weeks to begin negotiations for easement agreements."

He said it was "perfectly understandable" that residents would want the proposal killed but hoped the easement negotiations would succeed.

"Of course people would prefer if it didn't have to impact on them directly, but at the same time, when you actually get to talk to people and about their issues, New Zealanders are generally reasonable people and you can reach a sensible outcome."

An Electricity Commission study in December offered alternatives to the Transpower plan. Commission chairman Roy Hemmingway said the transmission line was not a one-stop shop to solving Auckland city's power woes.

Mr Roberts said Transpower was working closely with the Electricity Commission and there was still "a lot of work to do in assessing alternatives as closely as our project has been assessed".

But Christina Baldwin, spokeswoman for anti-pylon group New Era Energy, said the fact that Transpower had managed only one land purchase from nearly 300 landowners showed the company "plainly lies".

"Transpower has all along been saying all these landowners are in their favour and co-operating and it's just not true. Everyone we know affected by the pylons is saying, 'No, we don't want it, go away'."

Transpower expects to lodge Notices of Requirement with all seven councils along the route in April, which will be followed by public submissions.

The commission is expected to decide in June whether there is a better way to solve Auckland's power woes.