Native bush in the path of Manawatū Gorge replacement road at risk

Wednesday, 24 July 2019

Graham Bolton is disappointed native bush on his property is at risk from the new Manawatū-Hawke's Bay highway.

An octogenarian farmer whose land will be cleft in two by the highway replacing the Manawatū Gorge road is disappointed more than 30 hectares of native bush is at risk.

The new Manawatū-Hawke's Bay highway is set to go through Graham Bolton's 260-hectare farm on Cooks Rd, near the top of Saddle Rd, where the 87-year-old has farmed for nearly 60 years.

Along with 300 sheep and 400 cattle, there are 32.6ha of native bush spread across Bolton's farm.

Although he started protecting the sites when he began farming there by fencing them off to livestock, Bolton ended up working with the Queen Elizabeth II Trust to protect the land.

Bolton has farmed his property near the top of the Saddle Rd for 60 years.

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Although not all of the protected land is directly in the roading corridor, Bolton said the highway would go through two blocks of bush.

The new highway could cut Bolton's land in two.

He has owned the farm since 1959 and continues to run it with his sons.

'The planned highway would go through the middle of an old tawa forest… nothing's sacred.

'It'd be a shame to see it desecrated, a lot of that bush would have to go.'

The route for the new road, which will run from the western entry of the closed gorge and across the Ruahine Range to Woodville, was announced by the New Zealand Transport Agency in March 2018.

According to a transport agency document, the route was chosen over other options because work could be done without disrupting the Saddle Rd, it provided the lowest gradient and would be completed quicker than alternative options.

Queen Elizabeth II Trust land and legal protection manager Jane Strachan said it had filed an appeal against the transport agency's decision about the road's route. The Department of Conservation and Forest and Bird supported the appeal, she said.

'We're concerned about the hugely valuable natural heritage that will be lost if a road is put through areas of protected land.

'This is a vulnerable and irreplaceable habitat protecting old growth forest, broadleaf forest, birds and wildlife protected by Queen Elizabeth II covenants.'

Transport agency portfolio manager Sarah Downs said there had been appeals against the designation of the road. These came after a panel of commissioners recommended the project should proceed, subject to conditions issued on behalf of the three councils – Palmerston North City, Tararua District and Manawatū District – in May.

'We are currently working through these appeals and meeting with appellants to understand their appeal and work towards a quick resolution,' she said.

Downs said there would be public information sessions in mid-August to present the concept design for the road.

Along with the livestock and native bush on his farm, Bolton also leases land to Meridian and has 15 turbines, part of Te Āpiti wind farm that opened in 2004, on his property.

Downs said there were a 'number of turbines' within the corridor and the agency would negotiate effects on wind farm infrastructure with Meridian and provide the necessary compensation.

A Meridian spokeswoman said the project's 'notice of requirement' required the new road not to result in the removal of more than two turbines from Te Āpiti wind farm, except for where Meridian provided written consent.

She said turbines removed as a result of the road would not be relocated.

The preferred option to replace the gorge road was announced in 2018. The gorge road has been closed since April 2017.