Consenting journey – March 2022
In 2018 Taranaki Regional Council and New Plymouth District Council jointly heard and granted the bypass consents and recommended that Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency confirm the road designation. Subsequent appeals involved hearings at the Environment Court and High Court.
A final Environment Court decision (issued on 1 April 2021) granted the project’s consents and confirmed the altered designation. A resulting High Court appeal hearing took place in October 2021 with a judgment in favour of the project released in late March 2022.
The 2018 independent hearing for the project's resource consents was held at the New Plymouth District Council.
31 March 2022 media release:
Construction of Mt Messenger Bypass moves closer with positive High Court decision
Ongoing ecological work – November 2021
Ecological work continues in preparation for construction to reduce the risk of harming native wildlife during construction and when the road is operational.
This involves gathering baseline data against which our construction activities can be measured and includes the following:
- Long-tailed bat monitoring to help ensure that the area selected as the pest management area included suitable habitat for bats.
- Periodic tracking of North Island brown kiwi to identify kiwi territories for relocation if required.
- Fish and macroinvertebrate baseline surveys in the Mimi and Mangapepeke streams were carried out to compare with monitoring during and after construction.
- Detailed vegetation surveys to identify habitat qualities.
Mike Lake, Freshwater ecologist measuring giant kokopu.
Settlement load test – May 2021
Investigations for the project continue, with a settlement load test underway at the foot of Mt Messenger’s southern side, near SH3.
This test is essential to help inform the final project design, particularly for the earthworks, embankments and retaining walls.
Work gets underway on the settlement load test south of Mt Messenger.
Ngāti Tama iwi vote in favour of bypass agreements – July 2020
A major milestone was reached in 2020 when Ngāti Tama iwi voted in favour of agreements with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, allowing land needed for the bypass to be exchanged.
We continue to work closely with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Tama and value an ongoing partnership with mana whenua.
Read the media release(external link)
Ngāti Tama held information sessions about the major transaction in Waitara, Takapuwhahia and Manaia.
Mt Messenger Bypass consents and designation applications – January 2018
Following the selection of the preferred route for the Mt Messenger Bypass, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency lodged a Notice of Requirement (NOR) and applications for the necessary resource consents with the New Plymouth District Council and Taranaki Regional Council.
Notice of Requirement (NOR) and applications
The applications are required under the Resource Management Act 1991 to construct, operate and maintain the Mt Messenger Bypass.
Resource Management Act 1991(external link)
You can find all the relevant information on the New Plymouth District Council website.
New Plymouth District Council website(external link)
We ran some drop-in sessions and information stalls at local events and venues in Taranaki from 10–18 February 2018.
We reached out to local communities to get involved in the public notification of our consents.
Selected route for Mt Messenger bypass – August 2017
| What's happening |
The preferred route for the Mt Messenger Bypass was announced. The bypass of Mt Messenger is 5.2km long with additional work at the southern end creating about 6km of improvements. It is located east of the existing highway (identified as Option C in the June 2017 public engagement). The route includes a bridge about 110m long and an estimated 230m long tunnel under the ridgeline south-east of Mt Messenger. Beehive press release: Mt Messenger Bypass option selected (external link) |
| When | 31 August 2017 |
Update on Options – June 2017
| What's happening |
Feedback from the earlier consultation (2016/17) showed strong support for a route that provides travel time, safety and reliability benefits, however there were concerns about environmental and cultural impacts of a bypass. For more information see the media release. Waka Kotahi media release: Updated options for SH3 Mt Messenger Bypass project |
| When |
We held drop-in sessions in mid-June 2017. |
| What's involved |
More information: |
Programme launch
| What's happening |
The Transport Minister Simon Bridges officially launched(external link) the Awakino Gorge to Mount Messenger Programme and start of the SH3 Safety and Resilience Improvements Project in Mokau. Beehive press release: Key transport project for Taranaki launched(external link) |
| When | The event occurred on 17 May 2017. |
Community consultation on options
| What's happening | We consulted on route options for the Mt Messenger Bypass Project and Awakino Tunnel Bypass Project along with other safety and resilience improvements for the 58km stretch of State Highway 3 from the Awakino Gorge to Mount Messenger:
More information |
| Purpose | We wanted to know what options the local communities and other stakeholders favoured and the reasons for their choices. |
| Consultation period | There was a six week consultation from 21 November 2016 to 6 January 2017. |
| Consultation findings | Read the Consultation of Options Report – April 2017 [PDF, 9.4 MB] |
| Announcement |
The preferred options for the Awakino Tunnel Bypass Project and SH3 Safety and Resilience Improvements Project, along with the next steps for the Mt Messenger Bypass Project have been announced. Beehive press release: Green light for SH3 improvements(external link) |
