Future of Gore's new bridge hangs in the balance as planner recommends consent be declined

Friday, 5 March 2021

An artist impression of the $3.7million cable-stay design bridge as part of a $10.8million project to carry water pipelines from the East Gore plant to the Jacobstown wells. It will be the longest and tallest structure of this type in New Zealand at 39m high and 90m long.

A planner has recommended for a second time that the Gore District Council be declined a resource consent to build a pedestrian and cycleway bridge across the Mataura River.

The council wants to build a cable-stay bridge across the river, about 650 metres upstream of the existing Gore traffic bridge, which would carry water pipes across the river as part of a $10.7 million upgrade of its east Gore water treatment plant.

People who made initial submissions to the council’s resource consent application were asked to prepare further submissions, after the Gore District Council presented new evidence in a written right of reply to matters raised in a hearing, which was held in December.

The new evidence introduced by the council after the hearing included alternative locations for the proposed bridge.

* Hokonui Rūnanga changes stance on proposed Gore bridge

* Environment Southland independent planners supports consent be granted for proposed Gore bridge

* GDC's application to build new bridge has been suspended

* Hokonui Rūnanga opposes Gore's proposed new bridge

The second round of submissions drew six responses, which were all opposed to the bridge being built.

In his second submission, planner Nigel Bryce said the council’s preferred site for the bridge still generated significant adverse visual effects on nine residential properties within 250m radius of the bridge site.

“In my opinion, these adverse effects are not outweighed by the positive benefits of a dual-purpose bridge in this location.’’

A submission by The Waimea Plains Landscape Preservation Society says the new evidence should be struck from the record, and a new application should be initiated by the council.

The Society, and other submitters, believe that the council had not given any consideration to considering putting water pipes in a trench in the river bed, or attaching them to the State Highway 1 or railway bridge that already cross the Mataura River.

The council had to apply to itself and Environment Southland for resource consent to build the bridge, and the attracted 43 submissions – 26 in opposition, 17 in support, two neutral and one in support but opposing the site.

Three independent hearing commissioners, Dean Chrystal of Christchurch, Reginal Proffit of Gisborne, and Bonnie Mager, of Invercargill, heard submissions and evidence at the hearing.

The hearing commissioners will now again determine if they satisfied they have sufficient information relating to the proposal, or if they require clarification of any matter in the evidence or responses made.

If the panel is satisfied with regard to both matters, the hearing will be formally closed, and it will have 15 working days after that to issue its decision.

The NZ Transport Agency will co-fund 55 per cent of the $3.7million cable-stay design bridge, leaving the council to pay $1.6m.