MEDIA RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2017
Northern Corridor decision confirmed
An independent Board of Inquiry appointed to consider an application by the New Zealand Transport Agency, has released
its final decision giving approval to the Auckland-based Northern Corridor Improvements proposal.
The approval gives the green light to construction of the last link of Auckland’s Western Ring Route, providing an
alternative route from South Auckland to the North Shore.
The new road will create an uninterrupted motorway-to-motorway connection along the Western Ring Route – the
Hobsonville, Northwestern and Southwestern Motorways (SHs18, 16 and 20) - between Albany and Manukau to the south,
upgrading the Upper Harbour Highway to a motorway, and extending the Northern Busway from Constellation Drive to the
Albany park-and-ride station.
Download the final decision and report:
Notes for editors
The Board released a draft decision on 9 October 2017, and received comments from six parties. After considering the
comments received on the Draft Report and Decision, the Board has made a number of ‘minor and technical’ changes and
these have been incorporated into the Final Report and Decision.
The Board’s decision can be appealed, only on questions of law, to the High Court under section 149V of the Resource
Management Act 1991 (RMA) by the New Zealand Transport Agency (the applicant), Auckland Council (the local authority),
all submitters on the Proposal and the Minister for the Environment.
Background
Boards of inquiry are appointed by the Minister for the Environment (sometimes in conjunction with other ministers), to
make independent decisions on proposals of national significance (these are considered exceptionally large and complex
proposals with regional or national impacts).
The EPA supports the decision-making process, as set out in the Resource Management Act (1991) by providing
administrative and secretariat support to the BOI, and supports those who opt to make submissions as part of the public
decision-making process.
For further reading
Understanding the resource management process:
Background on the Northern Corridor Improvements proposal:
ends