Western Bay District Councillor Margaret Murray-Benge says she is speaking out on behalf of frustrated residents and ratepayers on Belk Rd.
A district councillor is "absolutely livid" at the regional council for insisting on a drainage report she believes is delaying progress on safety improvements on a dangerous Western Bay intersection.
Margaret Murray-Benge said she has been working with Belk Rd residents in Omanawa, the New Zealand Transport Agency and itssafety engineer on a plan to upgrade the intersection of Belk Rd and State Highway 29.
"The planning, the property purchases, the consultation, everything is ready for the work to be done before Christmas," the district councillor for the Kaimai Ward said.
However, the regional council says requesting the report is standard procedure when making changes to an existing culvert to ensure the design was fit for purpose.
Murray-Benge said the regional council's request for further information would delay the upgrade until next year.
"I am speaking out on behalf of the very frustrated residents and ratepayers who were expecting this safety upgrade before Christmas and this is now not the case. We remain angry and frustrated no matter what excuse the regional council is saying."
Western Bay District Councillor Margaret Murray-Benge says she is speaking out on behalf of frustrated residents and ratepayers on Belk Rd. Photo/John Borren.
The regional council's consents manager, Reuben Fraser, said there was a standard procedure around culvert extensions and, as part of that process, in August the council requested "some basic further information".
He said the council was expecting this soon and would be able to progress the application from there.
"We have a good relationship with [the Transport Agency], are very supportive of the project and have not imposed any undue delays."
Mr Fraser said the regional council was legally required to ensure the design was fit for purpose and met regional water and land plan requirements.
"At the end of the day, we need to ensure that if this area were to flood the culvert would stand up to the conditions and potential run-off would not affect those residing downstream."
The transport agency's Bay of Plenty transport system manager, Jack Hansby, said the agency's aim was to improve safety at the Belk Rd intersection of State Highway 29 by widening the road and installing a right-turn bay.
"Before work can start we need to seek a consent from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to complete a culvert extension and for disturbance of the streambed near Belk Rd. We are working with the regional council to determine what information is required to gain the consent."
Mr Hansby said the agency was aware of how important the project was to the community and expected work to start early next year provided the consent was approved.
"We have been meeting with residents and keeping them up to date on progress."
Belk Rd resident Vic Brazier said residents had been working with the Transport Agency for years to upgrade "this very dangerous intersection".
"Work was finally about to commence. And now at this late stage it is to be delayed again by the regional council's demand."
Bay of Plenty Regional councillor and chairman of the regional transport committee, Stuart Crosby, said it was imperative that culverts and stormwater management were future-proofed.
"In saying that, I totally support the Belk Rd upgrade - that's a real problem. What we'll do... is make sure that piece of work is done post-haste so the project's not delayed any more than it has to be."
