Submissions are now open for Waikato District Council’s proposal to build a replacement footbridge bridge to cross the Opotoru inlet to the Kopua Reserve. The proposed bridge designed by Aurecon, is one third longer than the present bridge. Local environmental campaigner, John Lawson, has been checking out why the replacement bridge needs to be so long. He believes that there is no need for the longer bridge and that a shorter bridge would be satisfactory and could be built at half the cost.
Peter Storey, Chair of the Raglan Community Board has told John that the reason for the longer bridge was, “The length is needed because of the issues when we have very high tides and the path is cut off. A causeway was ruled out as it does not allow for the free flow of the tide … this was an explanation we were given. “
When John Lawson investigated Council documents he found no mention about the need for a free flow of the tide along the upper edge of the beach on the few days a year when there is a spring tide. All he could find was the following Aurecon meeting record for 12 Nov 2009 –
3.7 Height of Western Abutment and Approach
The western abutment in Putoetoe Reserve floods several times a year which affects the footbridge functionality. It is desired that the western abutment is raised to allow access during spring tides when the water level is higher than normal. As a consequence of lifting the western abutment, the beach on the western side will be divided by the footpath approach to the footbridge. The sand level of the beach could be built up either side of the footbridge to allow access along the beach or alternatively the footbridge could land higher and allow beach users to walk underneath the soffit.
John points out that this extract makes no mention of the problem with free tide flow on the few days a year when there is a spring tide. He has now asked Richard Bax, the WDC Facilities GM for information on this point. So far Mr Bax has not responded to John’s request for information. John said, “Council plans to borrow the $2.7m to build this bridge. At current interest rates that means saddling us with a debt equivalent to some $170 a year for each Raglan ratepayer. I don’t think that’s what the consultation said we wanted, nor what over a thousand people who signed a petition expected.”
Submissions on the proposed bridge are now open and close on Friday 13 August 2010.
Please contact Louise Cowan at AECOM, telephone 07 834 8980, or call free 0800 492 452 if you have any questions about the application or click here for the full notice.
The full set of documents are available on the EW website. Click here for them.
Any person may make a submission on the application. You may do so by sending a written submission to Waikato District Council, Private Bag 544, Ngaruawahia. The submission must be on Form 13. Copies of this form are available from Waikato District Council.
You must serve a copy of your submission on the Waikato District Council as the applicant, whose address for service is Aurecon, PO Box 9762, Newmarket, AUCKLAND 1149, Attention Sarah Hart, as soon as reasonably practicable after serving your submission on Waikato District Council as the consent Authority.
Submissions close at 5pm on Friday 13 August 2010.