Federated Farmers Submission for Proposed Whangarei to Te Hana SH1 Upgrade
Reliable, resilient roading networks are vitally important to the Northland region.
It is critical that there are safe and efficient land transport links to enable primary produce to get from the farm to the processor and then from the processor to export points or domestic consumption.
Northlands geography and natural features, whilst a celebrated feature of the area, also create barriers and challenges to the roading network and infrastructure.
We have no preference between options A-D for the Whangarei to Port Marsden Highway (SH15). Whatever the chosen options, Federated Farmers urge NZTA, where designations and property acquisition are required, to consider the unique and specific issues relevant to rural businesses and properties and to engage in a timely manner with affected property owners. Livestock or other agricultural enterprises may be adversely affected by resulting designations in the following manner:
- Access of stock, large machinery, on-farm vehicles and staff, and infrastructure such as reticulated water, effluent irrigation and electric fencing between and to discontinuous land parcels, potentially on opposite sides of the motorway
- The re-location of specific infrastructure facilities such as sheds, silage pits, effluent storage, irrigation equipment and waste disposal, closer to sensitive activities (eg. SH1)
- Loss of privacy and amenity values
- Loss of economies of scale
- Fair market value for land to be acquired
- Disruptions and adverse effects during construction
Federated Farmers will encourage individually affected members to engage with NZTA and the processes involved with designations and land acquisition.
For more information, see the full submission