Social Impact and Recreation in the MATTER of the Resource Management Act 1991
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RiverLink Notices of Requirement for Designations and Applications for Resource Consent Volume Four: Supporting Technical Reports Technical Report #17 Social Impact and Recreation IN THE MATTER OF The Resource Management Act 1991 AND IN THE MATTER OF Resource consent applications under section 88, and Notices of Requirement under section 168, of the Act in relation to the RiverLink project BY Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Requiring Authority Greater Wellington Regional Council Requiring Authority Hutt City Council Requiring Authority RIVERLINK TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT #17 SOCIAL IMPACT AND RECREATION Table of contents 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................1 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 4 3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..............................................................................................7 4. STATUTORY AND POLICY CONTEXT ......................................................................... 11 5. ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................................. 16 6. EXISTING ENVIRONMENT........................................................................................... 20 7. CONSULTATION AND FEEDBACK .............................................................................. 27 8. ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS ....................................................................................... 33 9. MEASURES TO AVOID, REMEDY OR MITIGATE ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL ADVERSE SOCIAL AND RECREATION EFFECTS ................................................................ 55 10. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 56 Table index Table 1: The impact scale and definition as applied to the SRIA ........................................................ 20 Table 2: Summary of community consultation and engagement and key themes of feedback ............ 28 Table 3: Social and recreation impacts identified during the Planning Phase of the project ................ 34 Table 4: Construction impacts – fears and aspirations ....................................................................... 35 Table 5: Construction impacts – personal and property rights ............................................................ 36 Table 6: Construction impacts – social and recreation impacts .......................................................... 37 Table 7 Cumulative carpark reduction at the end of each construction stage ..................................... 39 Table 8: Construction impacts – access and connectivity impacts ...................................................... 39 Table 9: Construction impacts – economy, business and employment impacts .................................. 42 Table 10: Construction impacts – amenity and character impacts ...................................................... 44 Table 11: Construction impacts – Environment impacts ..................................................................... 45 Table 12: Operation impacts – fears and aspirations impacts ............................................................ 47 Table 13: Operational impacts – access and connectivity impacts ..................................................... 49 Table 14: Operational impacts – social and recreation impact ............................................................ 50 Table 15: Operational impacts – economy, business and employment impacts.................................. 52 Table 16: Operational impacts – amenity and character impacts ........................................................ 53 Table 17: Operational impacts – personal and property rights impacts ............................................... 54 Table 18: Social and recreation infrastructure that services the Project and Local Study Area ........... 28 i Figure index Figure 1: Wellington and Lower Hutt Regions (Google, 2021) ............................................................ 21 Figure 2: The statistical areas investigated as they sit within the Lower Hutt District .......................... 25 Figure 3: Riverbank market (photos courtesy of GHD) ....................................................................... 27 Figure 4: Maximum flood depth difference resulting from RiverLink works for 2,800 m3/s event (source: River Hydraulics Technical Assessment) ................................................ 47 Appendices Appendix A - Reference List Appendix B - Community profile Appendix C - Demographic Data Appendix D – Social and Recreational Infrastructure Appendix E – Assessment of Effects Table ii 1. INTRODUCTION 1. My name is Michala Lander, of GHD, and I am the primary author responsible for the preparation of this social and recreation impact assessment (SRIA). 1.1 Qualifications and experience 2. I hold a Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) Hons from the University of Sydney and a Master of Planning from the University of New South Wales. I also hold a certificate for Public Participation from the International Association of Public Participation. I am a full member of the Planning Institute of Australia. 3. I have 15 years’ experience as a social planner and I am currently a Technical Director Social Planning within the GHD Planning Team, based in Auckland. 4. My masters dissertation explored the processes used by NSW Local Consent Authorities to assess the social impact of development applications. 5. My experience has included the preparation of social impact assessments as well as social and recreation infrastructure assessments. Examples of projects I have been involved in include: Recreation Needs Analysis for the F6 Extension Stage 1 Project, in Sydney NSW. This report was undertaken as part of the requirement for conditions of consent to mitigate the construction and operational impacts of the proposed extension; Social baseline report to investigate the impacts of the planning proposal for the redevelopment of the Waterloo Housing Estate in Sydney NSW; Social Impact Assessment to support the business case for Stage Two of the Parramatta Light Rail project for Transport for NSW; and Social Impact Assessment to support the application for removal of the Sydney Monorail for Transport for NSW. 6. The report was developed with support from Alex Jepsen, Planning Technical Lead at GHD and a Full Member of the New Zealand Planning Institute. Alex holds a Bachelor of Planning and a Master of Legal Studies (Environmental) from the University of Auckland 1.2 Code of Conduct 7. I confirm that I have read the Code of Conduct for expert witnesses contained in the Environment Court Practice Note 2014. This assessment has been prepared in compliance with that Code, as if it were evidence being given in Environment Court proceedings. In particular, unless I state otherwise, this assessment is within my area of expertise, and I have not omitted to consider material facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions I express. 1.3 Purpose and scope of assessment 8. This SRIA forms part of the suite of technical assessments prepared for the RiverLink project (the Project). Its purpose is to assess the potential social and recreation impacts from the construction and operation of the Project. This SRIA has been undertaken in 1 accordance with the Waka Kotahi People Place and Environment Series: Social impact guide (2016).1 9. My assessment: describes the baseline social and recreation values of the Project Area,2 including a description of how the Project will connect to other projects in the area; describes the assessment methodology; identifies and assesses any recreational impacts, including any change to recreation activities, recreation facilities and/or recreational values; identifies and assesses any social impacts, including changes (positive and negative) to people’s fears and aspirations; access and connectivity; economy, business and employment; amenity and character; social and recreational infrastructure; people’s personal and property rights; and environmental factors; and identifies any measures to avoid, remedy or mitigate adverse effects, in accordance with the RMA effects management hierarchy (where relevant). 10. Site visits were conducted by Alex Jepsen on 27 November 2020 and me on Saturday 13 February 2021. 11. Two open days were held with members of the community on 28 November 2020 and Saturday 13 February 2021. Alex Jepsen attended the first open day, and I attended the second day. Both Alex and I answered questions from the community on the social and recreation impact of the Project. It was also an opportunity to obtain feedback on any potential impacts that could occur as a result of the Project. 1.4 Assumptions and exclusions in this SRIA 12. This SRIA considers the potential social and recreation impacts at the regional, local community and ‘Project Area’ scales. The SRIA has not investigated impacts associated at the individual/household level, particularly with regard to the socio-economic impact of property acquisition. I understand that individual consultation with owners and occupiers within the Project Area, specifically in respect of property and site-specific issues is being undertaken by the Project Partners, as part of the wider Public Works Act 1981 process for the acquisition/lease of directly impacted properties. 13. This SRIA does not cover regional or local economic