Angry residents criticise NZTA

A leaked map posted on Facebook shows proposed routes for the Otaki to North of Levin expressway. The routes are expected to be announced next week.

Landowners affected by proposed routes for the Otaki to north of Levin expressway are having one-on-one meetings with roading officials before the public release of the routes next week.

The New Zealand Transport Agency has been showing landowners a high-level map of the routes, and a copy of the map has been leaked online.

The map shows three routes to the east of Levin, and residents near Arapaepae Rd and Manakau look particularly affected.

Residents, commenting on Facebook, have been critical of NZTA for what they see as its "divide and conquer" strategy of talking to landowners individually. A couple of Facebook groups have sprung up to help affected residents share information.

It is understood letters were sent to around 460 affected property owners.

Many long-term residents are unhappy their established properties may have to make way for the road. Some newer landowners near Manakau are upset, too, with their rural subdivision sections, recently purchased and not yet built on, affected.

Ohau resident Anna Clisby has been right in the firing line. NZTA purchased her Arapaepae Rd property last year for the road. She then got a letter last week saying her new home might be affected.

NZTA has since admitted the letter to Mrs Clisby was a mistake and blamed a database error. Her Ohau property is nowhere near the proposed routes.

Her elderly parents also received a letter last week saying their north of Levin property would be affected.

Mrs Clisby is a supporter of the expressway, saying the district needed it. But the impact on her family had been stressful.

She described the feeling as shock, followed by grief – "a sense of mourning for a property you don't wish to leave" – and then anger and frustration.

Mrs Clisby said she lived with those feelings for years before her Arapaepae Rd house finally sold to NZTA and relived them when the letter arrived at her new property.

She said dealing with NZTA had been a nightmare and she advised others to be wary.

"The reality is the dates will keep changing on you, you will believe you are in consultation, but they won't give you answers," Mrs Clisby said.