A group of South Canterbury farmers in a dispute with Transpower over access to their land aren't rushing to paddock the gates just yet.
But they say the threat to deny access for upgrading power pylons remains, and will happen if they don't get any where with their compensation claim.
Transpower has said it needs to finish strengthening pylon bases on farmland between the Waitaki and Rangitata rivers, before the winter sets in.
Last Wednesday, the committee representing about 50 South Canterbury farmers and other landowners with long-standing compensation grievances gave the lines company a week to come up with an offer.
No offer has been made by the deadline but the committee's co-chair, Tom Henderson, says after 50 years of battling its prepared to wait a little longer to see if there's a response from either Transpower, or the Government which has been asked to set up an independent inquiry.
Mr Henderson says Transpower has not yet made a decision to come onto the properties, and things will come to a head when its workers want entry to the land.
One farmer was already denying Transpower access for vehicles
Federated Farmers, meanwhile, is still waiting for a Government response to its request for a commission of inquiry into the historic grievances of farmers with power pylons on their land.
