20 March 2018

Kaikōura District Council supports planned NZTA Kaikōura deviation

Kaikōura District Council has decided to support NZTA’s proposed SH1 deviation plan following meetings with NZTA and Te Runanga o Kaikōura, as well as Mahaanui Kurataiao, and discussions during Council meetings. The Council wants to work with NZTA, local iwi and other stakeholders to achieve the best possible outcomes surrounding this proposal.

The Council believes the proposed change will improve safety, access and growth for the community. “We know many locals feel very strongly about the deviation with some passionate views being expressed both for and against progressing it. We recognise how important the affected land is to local iwi and to residents, but we also recognise that this is a rare opportunity to enable significant change for the township. It is Council’s responsibility to look as objectively as possible at all the options and impacts and make the decision we believe to be best for the District as a whole,” KDC CEO, Angela Oosthuizen says.

“Residents and visitors have for years noted that the current layout of SH1 has areas of limited visibility, inadequate capacity for turning movements, and pedestrians crossing in challenging locations. Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians including school children are at risk when travelling through this area. Currently, State Highway 1 traffic can peak at 6000 vehicles a day and Kaikōura is growing as a tourist destination making it even more critical to ensure a safe and accessible town centre for everyone.”

“In addition to addressing these safety issues, the Deviation would allow for change and development through West End, Beach road and the new path of SH1. Amongst other things, the designs include a walkway and underpass as well as beautification and plantings. These changes would allow residents and visitors to explore and experience areas of our town they may have previously overlooked or not had access to.”

NZTA is set to make a final decision before the end of March 2018. The SH1 deviation decisions including design, development, timeframes, consultation and communication are made by NZTA. In recognition of the importance of the issue to local residents and partners, Council has worked closely with NZTA to ensure the community had opportunities to input into the decision, including facilitating a meeting between NZTA representatives, businesses and landowners whose land will be used for the deviation, asking for the feedback period to be extended and asking for information about what alternative options were considered. The Council believes that all stakeholders need to be listened to throughout this process, to achieve the best possible result for all affected.

More information about Council’s decisions around the deviation can be found on the Council website. More information from NZTA about the Deviation can be found on the NZTA website.

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