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Board of Inquiry for Hauāuru mā raki Wind Farm Proposal - 2010 hearing information

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2010 Hearing information

The 2010 Hearing was completed on 17 November 2010.

Hearing updates

  • Contact Energy Limited has withdrawn application WRC 117920 for a water take from Whitford Spring

Evidence

Hearing dates and venues

The hearing will be held at Tuakau Town Hall, commencing on 27 September 2010.  The preliminary hearing dates are:

Week Dates Hearing Pattern Location
1 27 Sep – 1 Oct 2010 1st week Tuakau Town Hall
2 4 - 8 Oct 2010 2nd week consecutive Tuakau Town Hall
3 11 - 15 Oct 2010 3rd week consecutive Tuakau Town Hall
18 - 22 Oct 2010 One week break  
4 26 - 29 Oct 2010 (NB Monday is Labour Day) 1st week Tuakau Town Hall
5 1 – 5 Nov 2010 2nd week consecutive

1 & 2 Nov – Tuakau Town Hall

3 Nov - Ooraeroa Marae at Port Waikato

4 Nov - Poihakena Marae at Raglan
8 - 12 Nov 2010 One week break  
6 15 – 17 Nov 2010 1st week

15 Nov – Tuakau Town Hall

17 Nov – Tuakau Town Hall (last day of Hearing)

Hearing Procedures

The Board’s hearing procedures (PDF, 66KB) are available.  These procedures describe how the Board intends to conduct the hearing - please refer to the procedures for full details.  With the exception of changes to key dates and a reference to the hearing venue and site visit, the hearing procedures have not changed between 2009 and 2010.

The date changes are:

Paragraph 9 - Site visit
The Board undertook a site visit in the week of 2 - 6 August 2010.  The Board will address any potential requirements for additional site visits with the applicant and submitters during the course of the hearing.

Paragraph 11 – Location and venue
The hearing venue is the Tuakau Town Hall. 

Paragraph 20 - Evidence Exchange

Dates Who Matter
25 June 2010 Contact To file evidence with MfE and all submitters
2 July 2010 Contact To provide copies of all evidence to Board
13 August 2010 All submitters Exchange of evidence
3 September 2010 Contact To file rebuttal evidence with MfE and all submitters
10 September 2010 Contact To provide copies of rebuttal evidence to Board
10 September 2010 All parties Notify all parties if they wish to cross-examine a witness
27 September 2010 Shore bird expert group Lodge final Migratory Shorebird expert report
27 September 2010 All File application to seek leave to produce further evidence of any of their relevant expert witnesses.
27 September 2010 All Hearing commences

Paragraph 39 – Te Reo and Tikanga Maori
Any person who has made a submission stating that he or she wishes to be heard may if they choose make the representations at the hearing, and any witness may give evidence at the hearing in Te Reo Mäori. Notice to the Board is to be given by 10 September 2010 identifying the person seeking to give evidence in Te Reo Mäori and the party who is calling that witness. The notice will enable attendance of an interpreter to be arranged. However, any karakia, powhiri, or mihi, will not be translated into the English language unless the presenter wishes and has given such prior notice.

Paragraph 53 – MfE Project Manager
The MfE Project Manager has changed from Kim Morgan to Sarah Jenkin.  You can contact her as follows:
Sarah Jenkin
Project Manager
Telephone: 04 439 7447 or 021 844 752
Email: hmrcallin@mfe.govt.nz

Amended Project Description

Following the adjournment of the 2009 hearing and in accordance with the agreed Adjournment Actions, Contact Energy refined the Hauauru ma raki windfarm proposal as follows;

  1. deletion of 12 turbines (A017-22, A031, C014, D019, E018, E035 and I011), leaving a total of 168 proposed turbines;
  2. ealignment of turbine access roads;
  3. relocation of spoil disposal sites to the leeward side of ridges;
  4. reduction in the size of turbine consent areas;
  5. reduction of the carriageway width of access roads from 10 metres to 7.5 metres, which for the main access in Block C through Te Umukaraka Bush has been further reduced to 6 metres (on straight sections);
  6. introduction of buffer and cautionary zones around sensitive features;
  7. introduction of maximum earthworks dimensions;
  8. removal of planned trimming of native vegetation.

Contact has also reviewed and refined the proposed transmission line corridor in accordance with the Adjournment Actions.

Reports requested by Board

2010 Pre-hearing Conference

A pre-hearing conference was held in Pukekohe on 7 May 2010.
At: The Franklin Centre (Franklin Room), 12 Massey Ave, Pukekohe
The intent of the pre-hearing conference was –

  1. admission of any new evidence sought by any party;
  2. if those applications are granted, timetables for the filing of evidence, consequent timetables for rebuttal, and a timetable to reconvene the hearing, 
  3. consider any other applications and/or procedural matters,
  4. set Directions to hearing and establish dates for the reconvened hearing

Last updated: 24 September 2010