Far North news briefs: Road closures, Carnival Day, Auctions raise thousands

Motorists using SH10 near Oromāhoe in the Far North must take a detour from January 13 to 30 while the road is being rebuilt. Photo /123rf

Motorists using SH10 near Oromāhoe in the Far North must take a detour from January 13 to 30 while the road is being rebuilt. SH10 will be closed between SH1/SH10 Pakaraka intersection and SH10/SH11 Puketona Roundabout while NZ Transport Agency contractors undertake the roadworks. The road will be fully closed from 7pm January 13 to 7pm January 16. It will also be closed from January 19 to 30 during the day only from 7am to 7pm. Northbound traffic will detour via SH1, Old Bay Rd, and Te Ahu Ahu Rd, before rejoining SH10. Southbound traffic will use the same detour, in reverse. The detour is expected to add about 10 minutes to people’s journeys. The road will be fully open in time for Northland/Auckland Anniversary weekend.

Carnival day

Bring the family along for a fun-filled day at the Otaua Carnival Day. The carnival is presented by the Otaua Sports club and Hauora Hokianga. It will be a fun day for all ages and includes bouncy castles, games, food stalls and trucks and much more. Te event takes place at the Otaua Sports Club on Renwick Rd on January 24 and is gold coin entry.

Asbestos removal

A licensed asbestos removalist will undertake removal work of asbestos-containing materials from Kaitaia College between January 19 and 23. Safety measures will be put in place. The Ministry of Education website has further information about the management of asbestos and procedures to ensure the safety of all affected by the work at the school and community. If you have any questions, contact Connor Boyd at Decon Ltd 021 829 976, email: connor@decon.nz

Epic auctions

Two local organisations had successful auctions at the weekend raising thousands of dollars. The Mangonui Lion’s Club raised more than $9000 from its annual auction, and the Hokianga RSA raised more than $13,000 at its annual auction.

Building exemptions

Homeowners can now build a granny flat on their property without a building consent if specific conditions are met. A new building consent exemption aims to remove barriers to building small dwellings while ensuring the homes are safe, durable, and compliant. The exemption allows small, standalone dwellings of up to 70sq m (commonly known as granny flats) to be built without a building consent, provided all exemption conditions are followed. See the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website for more guidance and resources or contact BuildingCompliance@fndc.govt.nz.