By WAYNE THOMPSON
Resource consents have been granted for the proposed Whangaparaoa Peninsula shortcut, with some strings attached.
Auckland Regional Council commissioners, in a reserved decision, say the applicant, the Rodney District Council, has probably underestimated the amount of silt run-off from building a new road to link East Coast Rd and
Whangaparaoa Rd, via a bridge over the Weiti River.
They have tagged the PenLink project consents with conditions they believe will reduce the severity of sediment on waterways and stormwater contaminants, and changes to streams.
Conditions to soften the bridge's effects on the landscape are also included.
The commissioners say they are satisfied that the actual or potential effects of the development will be minimised through the controls.
Part of the bridge would go through a coastal protection site and close to the internationally recognised Weiti Spits and the Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve.
But building of the bridge, over 33 months, was not likely to result in any more than minor harm to the estuary. The bridge site was sufficiently distant from the spits and the reserve not to be a threat.
Residents' associations have questioned the need and viability of the link.
The commissioners make no judgment on whether Penlink can pay its way but say that the link is appropriate in terms of future population growth on the peninsula and demand for an alternative to the congested Whangaparaoa Rd.
They note a "significant environmental benefit" from reduced air pollution, which would result from savings in total vehicle travel.
The Rodney council is being run by Government-appointed commissioner Grant Kirby. He says the new council, to be elected next March, will decide whether to go ahead with the project.
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