Board of Inquiry Upper North Island Grid Upgrade Proposal
Last updated: 14 October 2009
Transpower New Zealand Ltd (Transpower) is proposing to build a new overhead electricity transmission line, underground cables and substations in the upper North Island. Minister Pete Hodgson called in Transpower's proposal in August and appointed an independent Board of Inquiry to consider submissions on Transpower’s proposal, to hold public hearings and to make a final decision on the proposal. See background information on the proposal for more details.
The Board’s chair is Judge David Sheppard, a former Principal Environment Judge. The other Board members are Kevin Prime, Dr Deborah Read and John Rutherford. See biographical information on the board members.
Final Report and Decision
The Board of Inquiry has released its Final Report and Decision.
Comments on draft report and decision
The Board has asked Transpower to respond to some of these comments (PDF, 123 KB).
The Board has received a response from Transpower to some comments:
- Memorandum of Counsel for Transpower NZ Ltd providing further comments 28 July 2009 (PDF, 1.63 MB)
- Statutory Declaration by David James Viviers for Transpower NZ Ltd and Second Memorandum of Counsel for Transpower NZ Ltd providing further comments 3 August 2009 (PDF, 358 KB)
Draft Report and Decision
The Board of Inquiry has released its Draft Report and Decision.
Meeting minutes
The Board will meet as required throughout the process. Once the Board has confirmed the minutes of each meeting, they will be made publicly available on this website.
The minutes for the Board meeting on the 1 April 2009 is now available.
Hearing
The Board of Inquiry hearing commenced at 11.00 am on Tuesday 25 March 2008 in Hamilton. The hearing of Transpower’s application was completed on Thursday 26 June 2008. The hearing of submitters was completed on 8 October 2008. The hearing closed at 12.40 on 31 October 2008 with the completion of Transpower’s right of reply to submitters.
The Board issued a media statement (PDF, 59 KB) at the closing of the hearing.
- Hearing proceedings – daily record, transcript & list of documents
- Transpower witnesses and cross-examination schedule (PDF, 81 KB)
- Submitter appearance and cross-examination schedule (PDF, 273 KB)
- Hearing witnesses and submitters that appeared
- Hearing procedures (PDF, 128 KB) – The Board’s procedures for the conduct of the hearing
- Public notice of commencement of Inquiry Hearing (PDF, 37 KB)
Evidence
- Transpower evidence, rebuttal evidence , legal submissions and right of reply to submitters
- Submitter evidence, updated evidence and legal submissions
- Further information on magnetic fields (PDF, 193 KB) has been provided by Transpower to the Board of Inquiry as identified in the Section 42A report: section 7.2.1.
- Draft conditions have been provided by counsel for Transpower to the Board of Inquiry.
Pre-hearing
- Information about the hearing – venues and hearing information
- Submitters confirmed wish to be heard
Viewing of proposed route and sites
- Viewing of the proposed route and sites – protocols and record of viewings
Reports
- The Section 42A report on the Upper North Island Grid Upgrade Proposal is available. This report was commissioned by the Board of Inquiry under section 42A of the Resource Management Act and includes the key issues of the proposal, an overview of the notices of requirement documentation and resource consent applications lodged and an analysis of information provided by Transpower.
- The List of Submissions report is available. This groups submissions under topic areas and generic issues raised by the public and other interested parties
Submissions
The Board of Inquiry Upper North Island Grid Upgrade Proposal has received 1244 submissions on Transpower’s proposed new electricity line.
Additional information on the National Policy Statement
Memorandum of Counsel lodged with the Board of Inquiry
Memorandums of Counsel lodged with the Board of Inquiry are available.
Counsel for Transpower has lodged a Memorandum and further information with the Board in response to requests made during the presentation of the closing legal submissions:
- Memorandum containing an electronic version of supplementary legal submissions in response to Manukau City Council, Waikato District Council and Drummond Dairies Limited and Scenic Farms Limited – 7 November 2008
- A copy of the draft conditions that contains all the cross-reference numbers – 7 November 2008
Counsel for Transpower has lodged a Memorandum with the Board of Inquiry in relation to a proposed site/route visit, 8 May 2008.
Board Minute – the Board have responded to Transpower’s Memorandum of Counsel in relation to proposed site/route visit:
- Viewing Route and Sites (PDF, 154 KB)
- Protocols for taking views on site and route visit (PDF, 309 KB)
- Submitters response to Memorandum of Counsel and Board Minute on Proposed site visits (PDF, 144 KB)
Dr Robert McQueen has made an application to view original documents referred to in Professor Elwood’s evidence:
- Dr Robert McQueen’s request to access original documents (PDF, 563 KB)
- Counsel for Transpower - response to Dr McQueen’s request (PDF, 911 KB)
- BOI response to Dr McQueen’s application (PDF, 138 KB)
Board decision on AATUC additional evidence
The Board has released its decision on 14 October 2008 regarding Ardmore Airfield Tenants and Users Committee (AATUC) additional evidence (PDF 370 KB)
Board decision on request for adjournment of the Board of Inquiry Hearing
The Board of Inquiry released its decision on 3 March 2008 on the adjournment request lodged by Counsel, on behalf of Robert McQueen. Information on the adjournment request, Board Minute and Responses to the minute are available.
Media releases
- Draft decision on Transpower proposal now available (PDF 46 KB)
- Media advisory: Board soon to release draft decision on Transpower proposal to upgrade North Island transmission grid (PDF, 45 KB)
- Media Statement: Hearing closes on Transpower’s proposal to upgrade the North Island transmission grid (PDF, 59 KB)
- Media advisory: Inquiry hearing begins for Transpower proposal to upgrade North Island transmission grid
- Media release: Board of Inquiry announces pre-hearing timetable and commencement date for hearing on Upper North Island Grid Upgrade Proposal (PDF, 10 KB)
Contact details
To make contact or for further information on the Board of Inquiry, please contact the Project Manager for the Board, Viv Smith.
Freephone: 0800 876 447
Call In Unit
The Ministry for the Environment
PO Box 10362
Thorndon
Wellington 6143
Email: tpcallin@mfe.govt.nz
