Gore group threatens legal action as council reinvestigates Mataura River bridge site

Monday, 13 February 2023

The Gore District Council will consult with the community again about building a bridge upstream from the State Highway 1 bridge at Gore, across the Mataura River. (File photo)

A group that opposed a bridge being built near their houses, and took their fight to the Environment Court, says its horrified that the Gore District Council plans to consult about building a bridge there again.

But Gore district mayor Ben Bell says he ‘’100% understands’’ why the group is upset, and at this stage the site is only a recommendation.

A report included in the agenda for a full council meeting on Tuesday has included a recommendation that the council consult in its preferred plans to either build a bridge or install pipelines across the river – and the controversial Surrey St site is one of the options.

The recommendation says the council will consult with the public on three ‘’broad’’ options: installing only the pipelines across the river by direct drilling or a pipe only bridge structure; constructing a dual-purpose bridge to provide a transportation link (located between the existing State Highway bridge and Surrey St), or constructing a dual-purpose bridge with the primary purpose of creating a recreational loop north of Surrey St.

* Judge declines consents for controversial Gore bridge

* Preservation Society chairman: benefits of Mataura River bridge 'conflated'

The bridge that would provide a transportation link may meet Waka Kotahi funding requirements, while a recreational loop bridge would be unlikely to.

Waimea Plains Landscape Preservation Society member Lynn Grey says it’s ‘’ludicrous’’ that the council is consulting on the option after spending $1 million on the case in recent years and then losing in the Environment Court.

Gore District Mayor Ben Bell said he expected some ‘’robust debate’’ amongst councillors around options for the bridge.

“We cannot believe that they are considering this again, it is beyond words.

“The design of the bridge they put there is irrelevant – the building platform for it has not changed and that was considered by the court to be an issue under the visual amenity rules,’’ she said.

Her husband David said the group was ‘’somewhat incredulous’’ about the decision.

National party leader Christopher Luxon speaks in Gore.

“It’s just in our face,’’ he said.

The group was gearing up to take legal action again if the council decided to build a bridge from Surrey St, he said.

Bell said he expected some ‘’robust debate’’ around the recommendation, and expected some councillors to speak out against the option.

“I think there will be some discussion about how much we’ve spent on this already, and how much time it has taken.

“The recommendation is to look at consulting on these options, not that it’s going ahead. Surrey St still comes out as the best location in the report, but I expect there will be views expressed about that.’’

The council lodged consents to build a single span cable-stay pedestrian and cycle bridge across the Mataura River in 2020 to carry pipes across the river, which would have gained funding from Waka Kotahi.

The council needs to get two interconnecting pipelines from the Jacobstown well field on the west side of the river to its East Gore treatment plant so it can supply all of the township with water that meets the requirements of the New Zealand Drinking Water Standards 2018.

In response to an Official Information Act request, council chief executive Stephen Parry told Stuff in April 2022 that the total cost for the Longford Cycling and Walkway Bridge was $901,420. Of that, Waka Kotahi NZTA’s costs to date were $508,762 and the council’s costs were $392,658.

The council also bought a 22.8ha block of land for $575,000 to the north-west of the site of the proposed bridge, which was now being leased.

The Environment Court also ordered the council to pay $15,373 to the Waimea Plains Landscape Preservation Society.