East West Link draft decision released
This summary has been prepared to help journalists and the general public understand the Board of Inquiry’s decision. It
does not comprise part of the reasons for that decision. The full decision, with reasons is the only authoritative
document. The full text of the decision, and reasons, can be found on the EPA’s website http://www.epa.govt.nz/eastwest
The independent Board of Inquiry appointed to consider the East West Link has released its draft decision approving the
proposal.
The East West Link is a major transport proposal for Auckland, involving the construction of a new, four-lane arterial
road connecting State Highway 20 at the Neilson Street Interchange in Onehunga with State Highway 1 in Mt Wellington.
In addition to the proposed highway, the proposal includes new local road connections within the Onehunga and Penrose
areas and new, or upgraded, cycle and pedestrian facilities.
The Board of Inquiry’s draft decision gives the New Zealand Transport Agency legal approval, in principle, for the
construction work and the right to use land for this purpose.
• Download the draft decision http://www.epa.govt.nz/eastwest
The Minister for the Environment, the Minister of Conservation, the New Zealand Transport Agency, Auckland Council,
submitters, landowners, and occupiers affected by the decision, now have 20 working days to provide minor or technical
comments on the draft decision document. A final version will be released January 2018.
Notes for editors
Boards of inquiry are appointed by the Ministers for the Environment and (in this case) of Conservation to make
independent decisions on proposals of national significance (considered to be 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 boards of inquiry.