A resolution to the long running issue of buffer zones around transmission lines on private property may be close to resolution, following mediation between Transpower, HortNZ, New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc, Federated Farmers and other affected parties.

The mediation was ordered by the Environment Court after strong opposition from landowners to Transpower's attempts to have buffer zones written into local council district plans.

Last year the Western Bay of Plenty District Council rejected Transpower's application, following the recommendations of an independent commissioner David Hill who said the proposed rule changes were 'not the most appropriate way of achieving the objective, nor would they be particularly efficient or effective”.
Transpower appealed the decision and chief executive Patrick Strange said: 'Without rules around what development can occur under our lines, we put at risk our ability to maintain the grid for New Zealanders”.
The company wanted changes to each council's district plan to require landowners to pay for resource consents to carry out earthworks or construct buildings or structures within a designation zone either side of the power lines.

Impediment
Landowners saw that as an expensive and unnecessary impediment to their ability to farm or orchard on their land.
Horticulture New Zealand and Transpower have now reached an agreement on the use of land around transmission lines and structures, HortNZ chief executive Peter Silcock says. 'We've signed a memorandum of understanding which requires us to work together to find innovative solutions that may let growers use more of the productive land under and around the national grid and to do this without compromising their safety or Transpower's access to its assets.”
Federated Farmers dairy chairperson Willy Leferink says he believes Federated Farmers is close to an agreement with Transpower too. 'We are still in mediation but I am optimistic of a fruitful outcome within the next few weeks.” Transpower and HortNZ staff have already visited some growers around the country to improve the understanding of both parties about what growers and Transpower are trying to achieve.

Savings
'This certainly beats the protracted and costly planning debates around these issues that have been playing out around the country already,” says Peter.
The agreement between the parties means that HortNZ will not have to spend an estimated $600,000 during the next five years to defend grower interests in districts all over the country.
The agreement will support resolution of nine district plan changes already underway, and has the potential to make about 45 other future plan changes a formality.
The move by Transpower to protect its transmission corridor came about after the Government released a National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission.
That statement says councils need to ensure their district plans reflects those policies. The NPSET requires that an ‘appropriate buffer corridor' be identified on the district plan, and the buffer area be put in place to protect the transmission lines from ‘sensitive activities'.
Councils throughout the country had been considering adding protected buffer corridors to their district plans, and that has brought objection from land owners and industry bodies representing farmers and growers.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council consents manager Chris Watt says mediation between the parties involved in his council's district plan appeal was held on April 17 and 'showed willingness by all to progress toward a suite of appropriate provisions for inclusion in the district plan”.
The parties were instructed to report back to the Environment Court on the outcome of their mediation talks.