Final Report and Decision of the Board of Inquiry into the New Zealand Transport Agency Waterview Connection Proposal Produced under Section 149R of the Resource Management Act 1991 Volume 1 Published by the Board of Inquiry into the New Zealand Transport Agency Waterview Connection Proposal Publication No: EPA 25 ISBN: 978-0-478-34852-1 (print) 978-0-478-34853-8 (electronic) 978-0-478-34854-5 (CD) June 2011 i BEFORE THE BOARD OF INQUIRY CONCERNING THE WATERVIEW CONNECTION PROPOSAL IN THE MATTER The Resource Management Act 1991 (“The Act” or “RMA”) and the deliberations of a Board of Inquiry appointed under S 149J of the Act to consider applications by New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for resource consents and designations for the Waterview Connection Proposal HEARING AT: Auckland on the following dates: 7, 11, 15, 16, 18, 28 February; 1, 2, 7-11, 21, 22 and 25 March 2011 APPEARANCES: Refer to Annexure “A” to this Decision Board: Environment Judge Laurie Newhook (Chairman) Alan Dormer (Member) Environment Commissioner Ross Dunlop (Member) Sandra Hardie (Member) Susan Jackson (Member) _____________________________________________________________________ FINAL DECISION AND REPORT OF BOARD OF INQUIRY UNDER SECTION 149R OF THE ACT ___________________________________________________________________________________ BOI Final Report and Decision into the NZTA Waterview Connection Proposal ii Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Background, reference to Board of Inquiry, and Minister’s reasons ......................................... 5 1.2 Matters to be considered under Section 149P of the RMA .......................................................... 8 1.3 Minutes and Directions issued ........................................................................................................ 9 2 OUTLINE OF PROPOSAL ......................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Introduction to the Proposal ......................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Project Sectors ............................................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Statutory Applications, and Approvals Needed .......................................................................... 11 2.5 Project Documentation ................................................................................................................. 18 2.6 Project Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 19 2.7 NZ Transport Agency ................................................................................................................... 19 2.8 Project Description ........................................................................................................................ 20 2.9 Project History ............................................................................................................................... 21 3 PRELIMINARY MATTERS ....................................................................................................... 22 3.1 Time for lodgment of submissions, and late submissions ........................................................... 22 3.2 Scope of Submissions ..................................................................................................................... 22 4 OVERVIEW OF SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED .......................................................................... 23 4.1 General Overview .......................................................................................................................... 23 4.2 Principal Project-wide Issues ....................................................................................................... 25 4.3 Principal Sector-by-Sector Issues ................................................................................................. 26 5 STATUTORY FRAMEWORK FOR DELIBERATIONS ........................................................ 27 5.1 Jurisdiction of the Board of Inquiry ............................................................................................ 27 5.2 Notices of Requirement for Designation ...................................................................................... 28 5.3 Applications for Resource Consents ............................................................................................ 30 6 REPORTS TO THE BOARD UNDER S 149G RMA ................................................................ 33 6.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 33 6.2 Report from Waitakere City Council .......................................................................................... 34 6.3 Report from Auckland City Council ........................................................................................... 35 6.4 Report from Auckland Regional Council .................................................................................... 36 7 REGIONAL AND PROJECT-WIDE EFFECTS ....................................................................... 36 7.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 36 7.2 Traffic and Transport ................................................................................................................... 37 7.3 Issues about Economics ................................................................................................................. 58 7.4 Social Effects .................................................................................................................................. 63 7.5 Effects on Open Space and Public Reserves ................................................................................ 67 7.5.1 Caucusing Outcomes ............................................................................................................... 78 7.5.1.1 Rail ...................................................................................................................................... 78 7.5.1.2 Connectivity ........................................................................................................................ 79 7.5.1.3 Cross connections ................................................................................................................ 81 7.4.1.4 Active open space ................................................................................................................ 82 7.4.1.5 Passive open space .............................................................................................................. 85 7.5.1.6 Passive open space within Alan Wood Reserve .................................................................. 86 7.5.1.7 Northern vent stack location – open space impacts ............................................................. 87 7.5.2 Answers to certain questions - general .................................................................................... 87 7.5.3 Answers to certain questions – sports field provision at Waterview Reserve (and alternative provision at Phyllis Reserve) ......................................................................................... 92 7.5.4 Answers to certain questions – layout and suitability of Valonia Reserve (active) ................. 95 7.5.5 Answers to certain questions – temporary sports fields provision ........................................... 96 7.5.6 Answers to certain questions – Howlett Reserve ..................................................................... 97 7.5.7 Answers to certain questions – Saxon Reserve ........................................................................ 98 7.5.8 Answers to certain questions – Alan Wood Reserve ............................................................... 99 7.5.8.1 During construction ............................................................................................................. 99 7.5.8.2 Permanent impacts ............................................................................................................ 100 BOI Final Report and Decision into the NZTA Waterview Connection Proposal iii 7.5.8.3 Valonia (passive) ............................................................................................................... 103 7.5.8.4 Location of southern portal and stack ............................................................................... 104 7.5.9 Northern stack location .......................................................................................................... 105 7.5.10 Answers to certain questions – proposed Soljak Bridge ................................................... 105 7.5.11 Answers to certain questions – Oakley/Alford/Unitec Bridge .......................................... 106 7.5.12 Answers to certain questions – North-south cycleway and constituent bridges ................ 107 7.5.13 Some further answers – Overall mitigation, open space and reserves ............................... 112 7.5.14 – Evaluation and conclusions on Open Space and Reserves .................................................... 114 7.5.14.1 Financial contributions? ...................................................................................................