Project summary

What we're doing

The yet-to-be-named east-west arterial road through Peacocke will connect to Peacockes Road in the east and Ohaupo Road/State Highway 3 in the west.

Stage one involved building a portion of the east section of the new road at the same time as the new roundabout on Ohaupo Road/State Highway 3 to provide access to a new housing development. This work was completed in late 2020.

Stage two will include completing the final section of the road to link up with Peacockes Road in the west. The design of the road is currently under way with work scheduled to begin in October 2022.

The new road will be fully open by mid-2024 to meet the needs of housing development in the area.

Peacocke is being built with the support of $290.4 million of the Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund, made up of a $180.3 million 10-year interest-free loan and $110.1 million of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency subsidies. The new east-west road is budgeted to cost $34 million.

Why we're doing it

As part of building a new community in Peacocke we need to consider how we can best allow people to move around by walking, biking, bus or car. We need to think about how we can do this safely for all road users and how these new transport corridors will connect with the streets and paths we already have.

This project will

  • Increase our developing Peacocke road network

  • Better connect Peacocke to the rest of the city

  • Prioritise public transport, pedestrians and people on bikes

Project features

  • SH3 roundabout

    Connecting Peacocke

    The new road will be a key route through the new Peacocke neighbourhood.
  • Peacockes road v2

    Less congestion, better access

    The road will reduce congestion and improve access to Peacocke.
  • Plantings

    A green roadside

    Thoughtful new plantings and retention of existing trees will separate residential areas from the road and provide an attractive natural setting.

Where we're at with progress

  • Stage 1 - Planning

    April 2022

    Completed the design of the new arterial roading including new wetland areas, stormwater connections, and access to new residential and commercial developments.
  • Stage 2 - Underway

    October 2022

    We'll start construction of the new roading network in late 2022.
  • Stage 3 - Completed

    Mid-2024

    The new road will be fully open by mid-2024 to meet the needs of housing development in the area.

Frequently asked questions

Shaw's Bird Park

Council is developing the Southern Links transport network within the Peacocke area. Developing this much-needed network meant an exhaustive consultation and planning process over many years, and discussions with all landowners.

As part of that process, Council has now acquired, or reached agreement regarding, all the required land within the designated transport corridors. One such piece of land sits within a property on Hall Road, marketed as "Shaw's Bird Park'. 

The agreed route for the road crosses two sections of the property and avoids the majority of the ponds and planting.

The Shaws were part of the consultation process that decided where the future road was going to be.

They supported a road in this area in their submissions on a structure plan in 2007, and in 2014 wrote to the Council as part of their submission on the road, congratulating the project for its foresight. The Shaws' submission noted this section of the road cut through their property and requested Council look at compensation and an underpass.

Council commits to funding safe access for bird park visitors - 22 May 2023

In November 2021 the Environment Court dismissed, in all respects, an objection by the Shaws under the Public Works Act. The Court was satisfied the initial evaluation process for the road was wide-ranging, comprehensive, and robust, and was in accordance with recognised good practice. Adequate consideration was given to ecological effects and optional routes. The Court was satisfied Council gave adequate and genuine consideration to alternatives, including an alternative later identified by the Shaws, and observed the Council was clear in its desire to work in good faith through the process.

A full copy of the decision is available here.

The road route and its associated designation has been finalised. Following the Environment Court process the land for the road was gazetted by proclamation of the Governor-General in early 2022 and is now owned by Council.

 

Where is this section of road going?

The Southern Links network is a critical piece of work to enable much-needed housing and connectivity in Peacocke. Council is working to successfully deliver this project in a way which works with landowners and the general public, provides safe working sites for our staff and contractors, achieves the best environmental outcomes and is fair on our wider ratepayers.

Is Council destroying a bird park?

We're not.

The Council has no intention of destroying the ‘Park’. Most of the planting and the ‘ponds’ on the property will be unaffected by the road designation.

Does Council need to fill the ponds?

We don't and we won't.

The road alignment on this property will include a substantial area of landscape planting. The planned route of the road intersects only a section of one pond on the property. The Peacocke environmental programme includes more than 30 new wetlands across Peacocke, and 120,000 new native plants in the planned first stages of gully restoration work.

Did the property owners oppose the road?

They didn't.

In 2007 the property owners submitted in support of the first Structure Plan, successfully increasing the Stage 1 development area to include more of their land. This Structure Plan included an arterial road through their property which would benefit future subdivision of their property. In 2014 the current road alignment was not opposed by the property owners in their submission to the designation process. Their submission congratulated the Council for its forward thinking. They requested a discussion on compensation and a potential underpass on the property. The Council continues to seek a negotiated solution. 

Did the property owners only recently find out about the road?

​They didn't.

The property owners have been aware for plans for the road for many years. They previously applied for a residential subdivision consent which, if progressed, would have been supported by the new road. The new road will also provide services that will enable subdivision of their other adjoining land.​

Did Council consider other routes for the road?

We did.

The Southern Links process started in 2011 and evaluated a wide range of network options, identified three broad networks, and narrowed these down over time to the preferred option. The process took more than four years and $4.5M jointly funded by the Council and NZ Transport Agency. Independent commissioners considered these issues and made their decision after full public consultation. The property owners were actively involved in this process.

The Environment Court has confirmed Council's planning and consultation approach has been robust and well thought out.

Is Council building a motorway?

​We're not.

The East-West Rd is a normal suburban road, one lane each way, like Te Aroha St or Borman Rd, but with improved pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. 

How wide is the road?

The road will be approximately 26m wide. That includes around 10m for one traffic lane each way and a painted median to provide space for turning and pedestrian refuge islands, 5m each side for shared paths and berms, and 2m each side for on-road cyclists.

In cuttings and embankments, the footprint is wider and can include landscape planting and stormwater devices.

Did Council’s plan require the removal of 800 trees on the Shaw property?

It didn't.

The road passes through a small portion of the property. Planting on the wider property is not impacted.

Since the Structure Plan was initially proposed in 2007 and the separate designation started in 2011, lodged in 2013 and confirmed in 2014 the property owners have planted many new shrubs and trees on the planned route for the road which will now have to be removed during construction. 

Can Council move the road south and save money for ratepayers?

We can't and it wouldn't. 

The designation process was thorough and robust because critical decisions are based on it.

Land has been purchased, construction on roads has begun and agreements are in place with developers. Changing now would cost substantially more and create construction delays that potentially put the Council's $290M agreement with Government at risk. It would also impact other landowners in the area who have made plans based on the approved designation, including some with construction underway. Such a change would likely have a major negative impact on the city's ratepayers. 

The Environment Court has confirmed Council's planning and consultation approach has been robust and well thought out.

Has Council been in discussion with the property owners?

​We have.

Council representatives have been in contact with the property owners or their representatives many, many times in the past few years. The Council has paid for the property owners to obtain their own valuations and legal advice. The Environment Court decision acknowledged Council's effort to work constructively with the property owners. Council continues to seek a negotiated solution.

Thousands of people have signed a petition about the property?

An online petition has carried incorrect information. The petition wording has changed several times since it was started. It is not clear how many of the signatories signed the current version or are aware information they were reacting to was not correct. 

Is the property an environmental treasure?

Uncertain. 

Council's advice from ecologists is that the ponds compromise the Mangakootukutuku gully habitat.

It is unclear whether the ponds, dams, weirs, and other structures established on the property have the necessary resource consents from Waikato Regional Council.

The water quality and impact on existing native aquatic habitat is not known in detail. 

Does Council care about the environment​?

We do. ​​​​

Our work in Peacocke is not only Hamilton's biggest investment in growth, but it's also the city's biggest-ever investment in the environment. The environment is at the heart of everything we do.

When Peacocke is complete it will include a multi-million-dollar investment to protect and enhance our natural taonga, green spaces and biodiversity.

Is Council just putting money in developers' pockets?

We're not.

Hamilton is experiencing very high growth and projections show the city is well on its way to having more than 200,000 people living there.

Peacocke was officially included within Hamilton's boundary in 1989 and has long been planned as a key growth area for the city, along with Rototuna and Rotokauri.

​Over the next 1​0 years, Peacocke is projected to deliver a third of Hamilton's medium-term housing needs and 26% of Hamilton's long-term housing needs. Our work is about making sure we have the right infrastructure in place (like roads and water pipes) to support this growth and help develop an attractive and sustainable community that our city can be proud of. Developers pay their share of this infrastructure through Development Contributions.

Has Council consulted iwi over the road designation in Peacocke?

We have.

The Council is absolutely committed to working with mandated iwi organisations including Waikato-Tainui and the five local hapuu in the area. All the Council's work in the area is done with an understanding of cultural and heritage issues and follows significant research, approvals and protocol agreements with iwi organisations.

Is Council destroying an urupaa​?

No.

Council and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency included mandated mana whenua and Waikato-Tainui in the assessment of Southern Links route options. This process led to a designated network that avoided significant sites, including known urupaa, and paa such as Whatukoruru Paa, Kairokiroki Paa and Nukuhau Paa.

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Last updated 30 August 2022