Big change of tack over cable car bid

A PROCESS set in motion by the State Government to determine if the Mt Wellington cable car should be a project of state significance has been set aside, following a decision to instead acquire land on the mountain.

The Mercury asked the Government whether Co-ordinator General John Perry had recommended the cable car be refused project of state significance status and the reasons for his decision.

A State Government spokesman said the land acquisition removed the major roadblock faced by the project.

“Following the advice presented from the Co-Ordinator-General, the Government determined that the project should go through the usual planning processes, rather than the project of state significance process,” he said.

“Resolving access issues will enable the proponent to develop and submit an application.”

Six months ago the Government agreed to assess the cable car as a project of state significance, at the request of proponent the Mt Wellington Cableway Company.

If a project gains state significance status, the minister then directs the Planning Commission to do an integrated assessment of the proposal.

The process was seen by the Cableway Company as an important pathway which would give confidence to investors and ensure the project had a clear process to follow.

At the weekend, the Government instead pledged to acquire land on kunanyi/Mt Wellington and enact new land ownership laws through parliament.

While a cable car would still need all relevant planning approvals, State Growth Minister Matthew Groom said the Government’s actions would remove a major stumbling block.

Cableway Company spokeswoman Jude Franks said the land acquisition negated the need for the project to gain state significance status.

“The major issue that wasn’t resolved through the project of state significance process was the land tenure,” she said.

Cable car proponent Adrian Bold plans to lodge a development application for his $54 million development by the end of the year. The project is to be funded by investors.

Mr Bold has said he was confident the investment drive would be “very successful” once the project had planning approval.

“The step after planning approval is to open up our third capital raise and we’ll be looking to raise further funds at that juncture,” he said.