4 May 2012

Transmission Gully given draft approval

7:11 pm on 4 May 2012

The New Zealand Transport Agency says the draft approval of resource consent for the $1 billion Transmission Gully road project is a significant milestone.

The Transport Agency, Porirua City Council and Transpower are jointly seeking approval to build the 27km inland alternative to State Highway 1 from Linden to Mackays Crossing.

They have been granted draft approval, subject to conditions, by an independent board of inquiry administered by the Environmental Protection Authority.

The Transport Agency's state highway manager Rod James says it gives the proposal, which has been around for decades, some certainty.

He says they are comfortable with the conditions applied to the decision such as having a construction environmental management plan.

The board will decide by the middle of June whether or not to grant final resource consent, after getting feedback.

The Government announced last September it was fast-tracking the proposal which has been discussed for decades.