Ruling roasts opponents of motorway

By CATHY ARONSON

The State Highway 20 extension through Mt Roskill has been given the go-ahead in an Environment Court judgment that has criticised its opponents.

Transit will start construction on the 4km Hillsborough Rd to Mt Roskill leg of SH20 early next year and plans to open the $145 million western link by 2006.

It is the first stage to link the existing SH20 Manukau-Hillsborough motorway with the SH16 northwestern motorway.

It is the only section that has been designated for a motorway and marked on district plans since 1950s. The 92 state houses and some private homes affected will be destroyed or relocated.

The Auckland Volcanic Cones Society and Greenbelt Incorporation challenged it in the Environment Court.

The judgment, released yesterday, added minor conditions to help to protect the Mt Roskill cone and reduce sediment run-off into the Oakley Creek.

But the 39-page decision by Judge John Treadwell and commissioners Russell Howie and June Kearney criticised Greenbelt's evidence, requests and motives.

"Although not specifically given in evidence, we suspect that much of the evidence given by Greenbelt is influenced by a perception that motorways are not an accepted form of urban development in this day and age."

Greenbelt said the motorway would ruin a wetland area, local creeks, cut through a volcanic cone and risk the health of 5000 students at local schools.

The judgment said the wetland was not significant as it was badly degraded, had no flora or fauna of importance and was infested with weeds and grasses.

"To suggest that a major state highway link be deviated to avoid this remnant is patently untenable."

The judgment said points could have been resolved earlier had Greenbelt's evidence been directed at relevant issues.

It said Transit could apply for costs against Greenbelt, but did not require submissions against Auckland Volcanic Cones Society, which had had a responsible approach.

It said Greenbelt's request to be in charge of beautifying the community with money donated by Transit was beyond the court's powers.

"The whole attitude of Greenbelt was one of arrogance in assuming that it had the support of the majority of electors and that those electors would place confidence in the committee of Greenbelt to carry out territorial and regional functions for which they are not elected."

Greenbelt spokesman Phil Chase said the group of 800 members were against motorways but had genuine environmental and social concerns. "It will divide the community with a Berlin Wall of a highway and destroy a unique urban waterway and ecosystem."

The Automobile Association's northern regional manager, Stephen Selwood, said the Resource Management Amendment Bill due to be passed in Parliament did not go far enough to stop people holding up key projects.

He said an AA survey of 800 Aucklanders showed that 93 per cent urgently wanted the western ring route.

Further reading
Feature: Getting Auckland moving

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