Residents oppose Rotorua highway bypass

Ngapuna residents do not want the proposed Rotorua Eastern Arterial route built on their land.
The Rotorua District Council received 95 submissions to its draft annual plan, opposing the Rotorua Eastern Arterial designated route through Ngapuna, parallel to Vaughan Rd.
Ngati Hurungaterangi Marae trustee George Mutu told councillors during the hearing of submissions to the draft annual plan for 2011/12 that he opposed further acquisition of land for the roading project. He said trustees preferred the option of upgrading Te Ngae Rd to four lanes.
At a recent meeting of the council's infrastructure services committee councillors were asked for their preferred route option. They voted 7-5 against backing any of three options presented by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) until a full cultural impact assessment had been completed.
That followed a meeting of the Te Arawa standing committee that also refused to pick a preferred option until the assessment had been put before the council. Last June NZTA began a feasibility study into a new through-road from Rotorua's eastern suburbs to the city's southern exit. The aim is to improve safety and travelling times along a major road and freight route.
The NZTA, which will oversee construction and fund the project, offered three options: upgrading the existing highway, Te Ngae Rd, to four lanes; using part of a designated roadway and upgrading Vaughan Rd to four lanes; or building a new highway closer to Lake Rotorua.
Ngati Te Roro o Te Rangi Hapu trustee Matthew Heke said his people had a 500- to 600-year-old connection to the area that was the birthplace of the legendary maiden Hinemoa. "I applaud the Te Arawa standing committee for not backing the project. They are there to look after the interests of Te Arawa, not the interests of [the council]."
Asking the standing committee to endorse any of the options undermined any trust relationship between it and the council, Mr Heke said. "Therefore Ngati Te Roro o Te Rangi believe they have no choice under their kaitiakitanga obligations but to declare their full opposition to the proposed Eastern Arterial project."