Central Otago residents seeking compensation for having transmission lines through their property or for losing control of the land within network corridors proposed under district plan changes, had their hopes dashed yesterday.
Transpower New Zealand, which owns and operates the national grid, gave evidence about the Central Otago District Council's proposed Plan Change 8 before the council's hearing panel yesterday on the first of day of a hearing expected to span three days.
The plan change related to the national grid and made allowance for the National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission.
It amended the district plan to recognise the national benefits of electricity transmission, to manage the adverse environmental effects of the network and of other activities on the network.
Thirteen submissions were received, about two-thirds opposing the proposed changes. Submitters in support included Transpower, Pioneer Generation and Contact Energy. Property developers, farmers and vineyard operators opposed the changes.
Transpower had ''refined'' its stance on the transmission line corridor and sought a 12m ''set-back'' from the centre line of transmission lines and around the support structures - the towers and poles - its solicitor Nicky McIndoe said.
The change was in response to submissions in this case and similar planning hearings around the country. Within that corridor, all activity that was potentially incompatible with the transmission line should require resource consent, Transpower submitted. Ms McIndoe said some submitters had sought compensation either for transmission lines or for the planning restrictions which would be introduced through the plan change.
The Resource Management Act said compensation was not payable in respect of controls on land and Transpower's recommended 12m setback provision was ''more lenient'' than the existing plan, she said.
Council planning consultant David Whitney said in the plan the transmission corridor was 20m each side of the centre line in the rural resource area. The proposed change would have a lesser effect on land use activity and property rights.
He agreed compensation for land owners was not payable under the Resource Management Act.
Transpower's safety director, Wayne Youngman, said the buffer zone was needed so the national grid could be operated, maintained and upgraded. The 12m corridor would also reduce the risk of electric shocks to humans and animals.
Transmission lines
• Transpower owns and operates eight transmission lines in Central Otago.
• Operates substations at Cromwell, Clyde, Roxburgh and Naseby.
• Lines made up of about 1228 steel towers and 150 poles.
