Notice of Requirement for a Designation - Te Rapa Bypass

Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council have received notice of a requirement from Transit New Zealand for a new designation for the construction, operation and maintenance of a State Highway, being a bypass of State Highway 1 within both the Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council boundaries on the northwest boundary of Hamilton, known as the Te Rapa Bypass.

The greenfield portion of the corridor extends approximately 6km from Avalon Drive in the south to its reconnection to SH1 approximately 400m north of Bern Road, together with the construction of additional lanes along a 1.6km section of the existing SH1 between Gilchrist Street and Rotokauri Road. Appendix B of the Notice of Requirement provides the legal descriptions of the 85 parcels of land directly affected by the proposed works.

The proposed bypass will consist of the following:

• Greenfield construction of a new corridor for SH1 from Horotiu to Avalon Drive, including
• An at grade roundabout at the junction of the Bypass and SH1 approximately 400m north of Bern Road
• A bridge for Bern Road to pass over the Bypass
• Embankments (maximum height of 11m) and bridge structure for the Bypass to pass over the railway line
• Embankments and bridge structure for the Bypass to pass over Onion Road
• A new minor arterial road to connect Te Kowhai Road with Onion Road, including a bridge over the Bypass and north and south facing ramps for a future central junction
• Embankments extending approximately 2.7km varying between 7-9m in height from Te Kowhai Road to Avalon Drive, including 2 bridge structures for future local road crossing and a bridge structure for the Avalon Drive/Gilchrist St intersection
• Construction of a realigned Gilchrist Street
• An at grade signalised junction at the Avalon Drive/realigned Gilchrist Street intersection
• Potential installation of traffic signals at the intersection of Foreman Road and Avalon Drive
• Road closures at Ruffell and Te Kowhai Roads (either side of the Bypass) and closure of the existing Avalon Drive/Gilchrist Street and Avalon Drive/Tasman Road intersections
• Other ancillary works, including stormwater systems, sediment control areas, temporary stockpile areas, storage/lay down areas and haulage routes, relocation of services, landscaping and planting, crash and noise barriers
• Construction of additional lanes along the existing SH1 between Gilchrist Street and Rotokauri Road

Joint Hearing

A joint hearing was held between Environment Waikato, Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council from 9 – 13 June 2008.  On behalf of Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council, independent commissioners Dr Phil Mitchell and Mr Alan Watson considered NZTA’s notice of requirement and all submissions received at the public hearing in accordance with the Resource Management Act.  

A copy of the notice of requirement, the AEE and the planner's report on the notice of requirement are available below: 

• Hamilton City Council/Waikato District Council Planners Report on Notice of Requirement
• Appendix A: Public Notice
• Appendix B: Directly Notified Parties
• Appendix C: Designation Plans
• Appendix D: Hamilton City District Plans Objectives and Policies
• Appendix E: Waikato District Plans Objectives and Policies
• Appendix F: Acoustic Review
• Appendix G: Ecology Review
• Appendix H: Landscape Visual Review
• Appendix I: Stormwater Review
• Appendix J: Transportation Review
• Appendix K: Geotechnical Review
• Notice of Requirement and Assessment of Environmental Effects:
• Overview and Notice of Requirement
• Description of Existing and Potential Highway Environment (1)
• Description of Existing and Potential Highway Environment (2)
• The Project
• Integration of the Project with Alternative Land Transport Options
• Consideration of Alternatives (1)
• Consideration of Alternatives (2)
• Assessment of Environmental Effects (1)
• Assessment of Environmental Effects (2)
• Assessment of Environmental Effects (3) (6.78 MB)
• Consultation
• Statutory Assessment (7.81 MB)
• Appendix A: Scheme Drawings
• Sheets 100-109*
• Sheets 150-153, 200-205
• Sheets 206-217, 280-281
• Sheets 282-287, 300-301
• Sheets 302-304, 310-314, 400-404*
• Appendix B: Designation Plans *
• Appendix C: Corridor Options Plan
• Appendix D: Alignment Options
• Appendix E: Scheme Photomontages
• Appendix F: Landscape Visual Report*
• Further Information Response - landscape and visual assessment:
• Attachment 1A
• Attachment 1B
• Attachment 2
• Attachments 3-5
• Appendix G: Urban Design Report
• Appendix H: Air Quality Report (6.93 MB)
• Appendix I: Noise Assessment Report
• Appendix J: Ecological Effects Report*
• Appendix K: Cultural Investigations Report
• Appendix L: Social Impact Assessment
• Appendix M: Archaeological Assessment Report*
• Appendix N: Consultation Report
• Appendix O: Relevant Statutory Documents - brief descriptions
• Appendix P: Traffic Data*
• Hutchinson Road to Tasman Road*
• Level of Service Calculations
• Raw Crash Data for SH1: Horotiu to Rotokauri Road
• 2006 AM Peak - no TRB
• 2016 AM Peak - with TRB
• SIDRA Movement Summary

* Please note: these items are too large to upload. If you would like a copy please contact Susan Henderson on (07)958 5901

* Please note that the following updated plans replace the equivalent plans submitted in the NOR:

• 601/R3
• 602/R2
• 603/R2

Status

Following the hearing, independent commissioners for HCC and WDC recommended to confirm the notice of requirement subject to a number of conditions.  

On 26 September 2008 the New Zealand Transport Agency (formerly Transit New Zealand) accepted in substantial part the recommendations of the independent commissioners to confirm the designation subject to a number of conditions.

A copy of the independent commissioners’ recommendations and the NZTA decision are available below:

• Commissioners' Recommendation
• NZTA HCC Decision Letter
• NZTA WDC Decision Letter
• NZTA Annexure A - Notice of Requirement Conditions

 The NZTA’s decision to confirm the designation subject to conditions has been appealed.  Please contact City Planning Unit on 07 838 6810 for further information.

Timeline

• Public Notification of Notice of Requirement: 23 January to 29 February 2008
• Hearings of submissions: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 June 2008
• NZTA decision on recommendations: 26 September 2008
• Notification of NZTA decision sent to submitters and directly affected parties: 16 October 2008