Minister pushes ahead with Woodend Bypass, toll considered
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has given the green light for planning to begin on the long-awaited Woodend Bypass, with a toll among the funding options being considered.
Brown joined Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey at the Pegasus Roundabout in Canterbury on Friday to announce planning will begin on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway, which includes the bypass on State Highway 1.
It was one of the first seven projects in the Roads of National Significance signalled in the Government Policy Statement.
The announcement allows NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to begin planning the route, design work and costing the project.
‘‘It will help boost productivity and facilitate the faster movement of freight across New Zealand,’’ Brown said.
‘‘Locally, the Woodend Bypass is important for Christchurch, Canterbury and the South Island.
‘‘This project has been talked about for too long and we going to get it back on track.’’
State Highway 1 currently cuts through the town of Woodend, slowing traffic and raising safety concerns.
Brown said more details would be included in the National Land Transport Plan, which is due to be released in September.
The agency has been asked to consider all funding options, including a road toll and public-private partnerships.
‘‘I am expecting tolling assessments to be made for every Road of National Significance,’’ Brown said.
‘‘If tolling is what is recommended, we will do it.’’
Waka Kotahi regional relationships director James Caygill said the agency had been waiting for the minister’s announcement.
‘‘He has told us to ‘get on with it’ and now we can go out and talk to landowners, and go out and re-look at the route and see what has changed in the last 10 years.
‘‘Ravenswood wasn’t here 10 years ago and there has been a lot of growth.’’
A route to the east of Woodend, from Pine Acres, north of Kaiapoi, to the Pegasus Roundabout was designated for the Woodend Bypass by Waka Kotahi in 2014.
Caygill said the Pegasus Roundabout would need to be replaced and the agency was aware of two shingle pit lakes near Pine Acres, which would all be considered in the design process.
A pedestrian and cycle underpass between Pegasus and Ravenswood, and proposed cycle ways linking Woodend with Pegasus and Kaiapoi were also ‘‘on the table’’, he said.
Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said the Woodend Bypass was a priority for the district.
‘‘The minister’s message is very clear. We welcome that direction and we want to see it completed.
‘‘The community has been waiting for a long time.
‘‘This is probably the largest roading project our district has seen.’’
Gordon said the council looked forward to seeing the detailed design and was ready to partner with Waka Kotahi to see the bypass delivered.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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Proposed Canterbury landfill faces huge opposition
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
More than 500 submissions have been received in response to a proposed managed fill landfill in North Canterbury.
Christchurch-based Protranz International Ltd has applied to Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council for resource consents to establish and operate a quarry and landfill operation at White Rock.
Waimakariri District Council planning manager Wendy Harris said the applicant was up against ‘‘probably the most organised local group I’ve ever seen’’.
‘‘They organised a protest march, they’ve got signs all around and they’ve got a website and a Facebook page.’’
She said the 548 submissions was more than the 421 submissions to the draft Waimakariri District Plan, which was notified in 2021.
A proposed housing development at Ohoka, near Rangiora, in 2022 received 630 submissions.
While the details of the submissions have yet to be released, it is understood the majority are opposed.
Harris said planners from the two councils will plan joint hearings early next year.
More than 100 people marched from Southbrook in Rangiora to the Waimakariri District Council lawn in High St in September to express their opposition.
Organiser Mike McCaleb said residents are concerned about the potential environmental damage to the Karetu River, which feeds into the Okuku River, and then the Ashley/Rakahuri River.
He said he was surprised there were not more submissions but said he was aware of several people who had issues with Environment Canterbury’s website timing out.
‘‘It will be interesting to see the details of the submissions.’’
Protranz is seeking to restore the Whiterock Quarry, at 150 and 174 Quarry Rd, North Loburn, to near its previous landform, by filling it with managed fill, building and demolition waste and contaminated soil material, including asbestos.
The company bought Whiterock Quarry in 2022 with plans to fill it with soils and inert construction rubble removed from building and land development sites in Christchurch and North Canterbury, which are sent to Kate Valley Landfill.
‘‘Sending this stuff to Kate Valley adds a massive cost to developers, homeowners and community organisations who have dirt to move, and fills Kate Valley with material that can be better managed somewhere else,’’ Protranz founder Gerard Daldry said.
He said Protranz commissioned a wide range of testing including site investigations, technical assessments and design of the managed fill to support the resource consent applications.
The reports found environmental risks were ‘‘extremely low and able to be mitigated’’, Daldry said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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84.3% Yes
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14.2% No
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
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