Late bid to relocate Powerco substation site

A late bid is being made to persuade Powerco to drop its controversial plans to build an electricity substation on a prime elevated residential site in Bethlehem.
Powerco spent most of yesterday putting its case to the Tauranga City Council to designate a property in Te Paeroa Rd for the substation.
Carmichael Rd resident and developer Maurice Weaver, who lives close to the proposed site, told the hearings panel that he secured a conditional contract to buy two sections behind the Bethlehem Shopping Centre.
Mr Weaver's motivation was to convince Powerco to take over the contract, on the basis it would make a much better location for a substation than the prominent Te Paeroa Rd site which will one day be in the middle of a built-up residential area.
He said the shopping centre site would largely hide the substation and have minimal impact on the community.
"I passed this information on to Powerco who rejected it for a number of reasons that I don't accept," Mr Weaver said.
While conceding there were some issues with the sites, he said the solutions were no more than an economic exercise.
Mr Weaver's conditional contract was signed about two months ago, 18 months after Powerco agreed to buy 45 Te Paeroa Rd after a long search through central Bethlehem.
Powerco's arguments yesterday were based on putting the substation inside a building that would not look out of place in a residential neighbourhood.
Expert consultants produced unchallenged scientific evidence that there would be no health risks from living next to the substation, and a highly detailed landscape plan was used to reassure commissioners that it would not be an eyesore.
Powerco planning consultant Grant Eccles said the substation would produce less noise and vehicle effects than a normal household.
"For all intents and purposes, the facility will be a reliable quiet neighbour, which cannot be said for the majority of activities allowed as of right in the Residential A Zone," Mr Eccles said.
Powerco spent two years investigating 91 properties in central Bethlehem, before finally buying in Te Paeroa Rd.
Project manager Jon Kingsford said The Property Group was given instructions on July 1, 2006, to obtain land in Bethlehem for a substation.
The initial target area was at the intersection of Carmichael Rd and State Highway 2. Three offers were declined, leading to a decision in December 2007 to expand the search area to central Bethlehem and the western side of Moffat Rd.
Three more offers of purchase were declined.
"In November 2008, the owner of 45 Te Paeroa Rd was approached and Powerco was advised the property was for sale," Mr Kingsford said.
An analysis of the 90 other properties listed in Mr Kingsford's evidence showed that 59 were unavailable, had planning difficulties or were unsuitable; 22 landowners were not interested in selling or declined offers; five failed to respond; three sold to someone else; and one landowner who wanted twice the valuation was rejected as "unrealistic".
The Te Paeroa Rd property is opposite Manor Group Holdings' planned retirement village. Manor Group offered PowerCo an alternative site between the village and the Bethlehem Town Centre.
Mr Kingsford said it was initially considered that an approach to Manor Group would not be accepted.
In a later meeting with Manor Group chief executive Adam Yates, he said Mr Yates did offer a site. However, Mr Kingsford said the site was assessed as offering no greater benefit than 45 Te Paeroa Rd, and possibly had some disadvantages.