Research, consultation, planning, communications

Social impacts were a significant part of the State Highway 1

EIA investigation in 1991-95 led by Mike Foster of Zomac Planning Planning Solutions (then of Beca Carter Hollings and Ferner) and Peter Phillips (as Deputy Project Manager). 

Peter Phillips and Tom Ludvigson undertook a social impact assessment for the EIA for what became known as the Albany to Puhoi Realignment (ALPURT).  This was integrated with the public participation programme as part of the overall communications with the local community.

The route options for the realignment of SHI from Greville Road to just south of Puhoi presented a range of general and specific social impacts. The assessment of these impacts was influenced by the 25 year history of development in the area since a designation was imposed between Greville Road and Hatfields Beach in 1967.

At the start of work on the EIA there was a presumption in favour of the designation as the way to minimise social impacts because, in theory, people should have taken it into account in their location decisions and adjusted to it. However, there were significant social issues raised by the designation route (known as Route B) around Orewa (from Silverdale through to Hatfields Beach). In the end, these issues over-rode the fact the choice of another route was not fair to people who have bought properties away from the designation knowing where it was. The balance of effects lay in favour of the extremely rare decision to give up a portion of a designation and to change the route north of Wainui Road.

South of Wainui Road, the existing designation affected properties right along the alignment and was considered to have significant impacts at Smalls Road, Redvale, and Albany Heights (the Oteha Valley Road to Lonely Track Road area). The alternative of upgrading the existing state highway to four lanes (or greater in Silverdale), on the other hand, would have particular impacts at Silverdale and Dairy Flat and could encroach on a significant number of properties along the route, depending on the precise alignment.

Three factors tipped the balance in the south in favour of the designated route as the preferred option in social terms:

(1)the consequences for Albany of the continued growth of traffic through the village;

(2)the location of the Dairy Flat school on SHI, and

(3)the very significant impacts on Silverdale if traffic volumes continued to grow.

North of Silverdale, ultimately it came down to a matter of whether, given the choice, the decision would be made to locate a major highway through residential developments with the attendant effects on the properties lining the route. It could be argued that motorways run through suburbs all over the country, and that people adjust to highways on their front or backdoors. But it was still far from clear that it was therefore appropriate to put a new state highway in this position if other options existed. On balance, taking into account the full range of factors considered in the EIA, an alternative to the designation was preferred around Orewa.

Given the need for a new alignment north of Wainui Road, it was concluded that Route 5C would probably be the best of the three remaining options (Bl, 5C, Dl) which link to Route M, even with the impacts associated with a link road along the preferred alignment of link 4.

It was recognised that this would impose significant impacts on a number of property owners on the western fringes of Orewa. Some of these impacts, however, seemed likely to arise with the planned urban development of this area. It was considered that some of the attributes so highly valued by current residents would be lost if plans for the westward extension of the urban area proceeded as seemed likely (as has occurred). It was interesting that some residents responded positively to the possibility of a link road as a way of opening up their properties for residential subdivision.

From the end of Route 5C to Titfords Bridge, Route M1 was the best option in social terms, followed by Route M9. However, it was acknowledged that the 5C/M1 alignment had a highly detrimental effect on a small number of properties.

These impacts were made worse by the relative isolation of these areas and the very recent definition of the route. But these impacts had to be weighed against the benefits of removing traffic from the existing route through Silverdale, Orewa, Hatfields Beach and Waiwera and the provision of a much safer route than the current section north of Gruts Hill.

The preferred route was challenged in the Environment Court but the case was withdrawn by the objector after the Transit New Zealand evidence had been presented.  Transit New Zealand, BCHF, and Dialogue received a New Zealand Planning Institute Project Award in recognition of excellence.