Work on new state homes ordered to stop after they were found to be too close to power lines

Friday, 20 December 2019

Workers on the site were told to down tools early this month after Unison Networks became aware of the buildings proximity to power lines on the street.

Work on four new state houses in Hastings was ordered to stop after they were found to be too close to power lines.

The homes, on Bledisloe Place, are among 25 new state houses under construction in the area.

The homes are among 25 new state houses under construction in the area.

Workers on the site were told to down tools early this month after Unison Networks became aware of the buildings' proximity to power lines on the street.

Unison spokesman Danny Gough said the buildings were not compliant with WorkSafe standards that required a minimum clearance of 2.1 metres between conductors and buildings.

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He said workers were also told they should not be using machinery around the houses if they get within 4m of powerlines, unless they had permission from Unison.

Unison had cut power from the lines in the area of the houses so work could continue safely, Gough said.

In February Unison will move the lines further from the buildings by using a different configuration of crossarms.

That work will need to be funded by Housing New Zealand, but Gough would not disclose the cost, saying it was a commercial matter.

Gough said the situation was unfortunate, but Housing NZ and its contractors had acted professionally 'and have been committed to resolving this issue in an expedient manner'.

Kāinga Ora (Housing NZ) programme director Nick Seymour said 'From the start with this part of the site, we knew that we'd need to relocate some of the high voltage overhead cables near four houses'.

'To deliver the state homes that are much-needed in Hastings, the plan was always to commence the build, then look at options with the overhead wires, which may include undergrounding,' he said.

'That's what we're doing now and this will not slow down the delivery of new, quality state homes in Hastings.'