NZTA not keen on SH1 plan
A proposed development for Turangi is being opposed by the New Zealand Transport Association.
The development on State Highway 1 would include a 24-hour service station (BP Connect), truck stop and restaurant.
NZTA principal planning advisor, Jenni Fitzgerald, said they
had advised the developer Holmes Group, that they were not supportive of the project because of the potential impact on people using State Highway 1.
‘‘This section of State Highway 1 was upgraded in 2013, including a redesign of the State Highway 1/Te Arahori Street/Pihanga Road intersection to reduce the crash rate,’’ she said.
‘‘We are open to any revised proposal which incorporates measures to address these safety concerns and we will continue to work with the Taupo¯ District Council, the Holmes Group and the community on this matter.’’
A spokesperson from the Holmes Group said they were aware that NZTA did not support the development as it currently stands.
‘‘We are continuing with the resource consent process. Nothing has changed in that regard.’’
Holmes said they are in the process of answering all of the council’s requests and expected to have fully responded by April 6.
A council spokesperson said the council was still deciding whether the resource consent application for the project should be publicly notified or not.
There has been significant opposition to the project from within Turangi, with a petition and a lobby group set up called the Holmes Proposal Opposition Group.
The opposition group did not take up an offer to comment in this article.
Holmes said all relevant issues were thoroughly addressed in its expert reports with regard to acoustics, traffic, lighting, economic, environmental factors.
‘‘The findings or outcomes must be defendable under the RMA process. The conclusions of these reports are positive and any issues which have an effect will be mitigated with those affected,’’ he said.
Correction:Sandra Greenslade did not start the petition opposing the development as stated in last Thursday’s edition of the Taupo Times [P1]. The Taupo¯ Times apologises for the error.