Fair Go for Manukau

Manukau City is the region’s hub for power supply, water and waste water. The cost of this is significant in economic, social and environmental terms.

Mayoral candidate Len Brown believes that Manukau City needs to be acknowledged for its long-term contribution to the wellbeing of our wider regional community.

Len Brown said, “It is time for Transpower and Government to invest in the future of Manukau during its upgrade of the region’s supply lines. It can do this by placing these lines underground during this upgrade round. It is a poor decision to leave this development work til a later date.”

The cost to Transpower to underground the transmission lines from Clevedon to the Brownhill Road station is anticipated to cost $90 million at this point. Mr Brown said, “Failing to underground the lines now commits Manukau residents to further economic and social costs that are associated with running these pylons across our rural landscape. The impacts will only increase through the life of the pylons.”

Len Brown believes that Transpower should also take the opportunity to fast track the removal of the existing pylons that run through our urban neighbourhoods. “These have been a blight on our towns for decades,” said Mr Brown. “For example Otara has been the hub for most of these pylons in our urban environment. The new communities yet to be built in Flatbush will suffer as well unless there is a change of plan” he said.

Vector energy has been carrying out an undergrounding programme for the residential network at $10 million per year for the Auckland region. This programme will take over 20 years to roll out over the whole of Manukau. Len Brown said “It is not acceptable that undergrounding has yet to be done in Mangere, Manurewa and Otara. Clearly Vector needs to invest more heavily in this capital programme to complete the work in half the time.”

Upgrades to the Pakuranga sub-station will effectively double its size. “This station is located in the middle of the Botany community and is becoming a dominating physical presence. Although it is essential to the future delivery of our power supply, I see no need for it to be the eyesore that it will become. I would like to see Transpower plan to ensure that this does not happen” said Mr Brown.

“Undergrounding presents a great opportunity to minimize environmental impact. It will enhance the quality of life for all of us. In future proofing Manukau’s power supply, it is important to acknowledge the contribution the city has made to the region and to show respect to the people of Manukau by undergrounding the region’s power supply at a faster rate than currently planned” said Mr Brown.

ENDS

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