Engineer Rob Snijders, Whanganui District Council Three Waters manager Kritzo Venter and Downer project manager Adam Millward on the site of the new link road. Photo / Mike Tweed
Engineer Rob Snijders, Whanganui District Council Three Waters manager Kritzo Venter and Downer project manager Adam Millward on the site of the new link road. Photo / Mike Tweed
Work is set to start on a 600-metre link road in Whanganui, and the project is bigger than just bitumen.
Pingao Drive will run between Fitzherbert Ave and Fox Rd, with earthworks for the $5 million project, carried out by Downer, beginning on October 20.
Whanganui District Council Three Watersmanager Kritzo Venter said planning for the road began with the council’s Plan Change 53 in 2020, created to facilitate new housing in the Mosston Rd, Fox Rd and Fitzherbert Ave areas.
Rural lifestyle land was rezoned to residential, and council-owned land was rezoned to reserves and open space.
Venter said there had been two years of negotiations with 11 landowners before agreements were secured to begin the road.
Once completed, the road would immediately unlock the potential to develop 125 homes, he said.
The project includes a shared pathway for cyclists and pedestrians.
“It’s the most prominent greenfield development in Whanganui.
“In total, there is the possibility for 600 houses because other developments could branch off.”
The Mokoia Catchment Rōpū, a collective of iwi and hapū, the council, and technical advisers, is guiding the project.
In a statement, programme director Piripi Huwyler said the link road marked a first step and a significant milestone.
It was “a paradigm shift” from conventional development to one shaped by Te Awa Tupua and the values of Tupua te Kawa, he said.
“This hapū and community-led co-design approach reflects the strength of working together as one, like the kawa: Ngā manga iti, ngā manga nui e honohono kau ana, ka tupu hei Awa Tupua – the small and large streams that flow into one another and form one river.
“It establishes the foundation for a wider network of projects to restore, reconnect and strengthen the mauri of our awa, whenua, wai and community.”
Venter said there would be roadside swales – grassed channels that filtered and conveyed stormwater - and the design was “a water-sensitive urban design approach”.
“On the face of it, it’s just a road, but there’s a whole lot more that’s been considered.
“We’ve taken a bit more land, on the southern end near Fitzherbert Ave, which will have a section of channel opened up to be a habitat for some biodiversity.”
Consultant engineer Rob Snijders said 4000 square metres -“just on an acre” - had been set aside for a reserve halfway up the new road.
It would incorporate recreation, natural habitat and stormwater management and was being co-designed with hapū and the community, he said.
Downer project manager Adam Millward said a big part of the project was managing dust and noise for residents.
“For the first few weeks, we’ll be setting up the site, getting security matters in place, and then look to strip off the whole area.
“Then earthworks will follow.
“There will be a big section of sprinklers set up that will keep down all the sand.”
Venter said the link road would also bring through services such as water and wastewater.
“From there, it’s up to developers to install the other infrastructure to link up with that.
“During the negotiations, many of the landowners already had their development planning done to the level of detail where we know where they want to connect.”
The project is expected to be finished by the end of November next year.
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
