New Bridge Hearing Date Set

A hearing to consider the Gore District Council’s proposal to build a bridge across the Mataura River, just upstream of the existing traffic bridge, will be held next month.

The hearing will be held on Wednesday 16 December in the temporary Council chambers. It will continue the next day if required. The hearing is open to the public, but only those who submitted on the resource consent applications may speak.

The applications attracted 44 submissions, of which 17 people asked to speak at the hearing.

Three independent Hearing Commissioners have delegated authority to determine the resource consents lodged with the district council and Environment Southland.

They are:

• Dean Chrystal, of Christchurch,
• Reginal Proffit, of Gisborne, and
• Bonnie Mager, of Invercargill.

Independent Consultant Planner Keith Hovell said the panel would consider the applications lodged, submissions received and any material presented at the hearing. The panel will reserve its decision.

The district council has lodged resource consent applications to build a cable-stay bridge across the Mataura River, about 650 metres upstream of the existing Gore traffic bridge.

The new bridge will provide a cycling and walking link, and carry a new water pipeline from the East Gore water treatment plant to the Jacobstown Wells.

The proposed location of the bridge is near the intersection between Church and Huron streets on the east bank, and Surrey Street on the west bank.

Mr Hovell said the commissioners were likely to visit the proposed location during the hearing.

Both the district council and Environment Southland, in their roles as the consent authority, will provide a written assessment of the resource consents lodged and the submissions received. These reports must be made available by 25 November.

The district council, as the applicant, must also make available any evidence it wishes to present by 2 December; while any submitter intending to call an expert must provide their evidence in writing by 9 December.

Copies of all the evidence will be available on www.lets.talk.goredc.govt.nz or www.es.govt.nz