Planned route could ruin million dollar' views

Ellen Galvin doesn't live in an expensive house, but she says she will lose her million-dollar views if plans to build the Rotorua Eastern Arterial go ahead.

Mrs Galvin lives on Hinemoa Point Rd, right on the edge of the proposed Rotorua Eastern Arterial (REA) route through the city's eastern suburbs.

Opposition to the proposed REA has grown rapidly since the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) announced its preferred route in April. Construction is scheduled anytime between 2020-2025.

The new road would run from the airport to Sala St, cutting through a Maori reservation and could cost up to $114 million.

About 50 property owners will be affected, while local politicians say the road is essential for the city's economy.

Mrs Galvin and her husband, who died about seven years ago, bought their home 35 years ago and raised their family there.

A few weeks ago representatives from the NZTA came to speak to her about the project.

They told her her neighbour's rental property would have to be purchased by the NZTA for the road. Mrs Galvin's house is not required for the road but the road will run in front of her property, blocking the bulk of her view of the lake and Mokoia Island.

"They want to build a big bank which will be part of an overbridge in front of my house. The view from my terrace will be a huge mound of dirt and I'll lose my million-dollar view," Mrs Galvin said.

She said she believed the NZTA had already made up its mind and did not really want to listen. "We'll have a lot of traffic down this way now. The reason we moved here was to get out of the city. It's not a flash house, but it's ours and we love living out here."

Mrs Galvin said she was prepared to go to court to fight the project. "It's the only thing I've got to give my children and grandchildren," she said.

NZTA Bay of Plenty state highways manager Brett Gliddon said people in Mrs Galvin's situation would have plenty of time to put their case to the NZTA.

Mr Gliddon said he couldn't comment specifically about Mrs Galvin's situation saying the agency was not at the property purchase stage of the project.

However, he did say issues with property owners living right next to the designated road would be tricky to resolve, as they were in all roading projects such as this.

"We will sit down with each individual home owner and discuss their options.

"We will deal with them via the consent process where we have to show we are mitigating the effects, such as noise, of the project.

"It is not our intent to go out and demolish properties or destroy peoples views," he said.