There’s been documented public interest in an inland route through Transmission Gully going back as far as 1919. However, it has only been in the last two decades that public views have been canvassed more formally.
In 2008, two major public consultations were undertaken to ask residents of the greater Wellington region if a route through Transmission Gully should be progressed. Both public consultations returned overwhelming support for a motorway through the gully.
In the first half of 2012, regulatory consent applications for the project were heard and approved by an independent Board of Inquiry. And in November 2012, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency received the Government’s approval to proceed with the Transmission Gully motorway through a Public Private Partnership.
In July 2014, Waka Kotahi signed a Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract with the Wellington Gateway Partnership. Under the terms of the PPP contract, the Wellington Gateway Partnership will design, construct, finance, operate and maintain the new Transmission Gully motorway for the 25 years that will follow the expected five-year period to build the motorway. The motorway is scheduled to open for traffic in 2020.
CloseIn January 2013, Waka Kotahi called for ‘Expressions of Interest’ from consortia (New Zealand and overseas) interested in and capable of delivering the Transmission Gully Public Private Partnership (PPP) project.
In April 2013, Waka Kotahi announced the two consortia that had been shortlisted to deliver the Transmission Gully Public Private Partnership (PPP) project. These were the Wellington Gateway Partnership and the Positive Connection consortia. A ‘Request for Proposal’ (RFP) was issued to the two shortlisted consortia and their subsequent proposals underwent a rigorous evaluation process to select the preferred bidder for the project.
In December 2013, Waka Kotahi announced the Wellington Gateway Partnership as the preferred bidder to finance, design, build, operate and maintain the Transmission Gully motorway.
CloseThe Board of Inquiry’s hearing on the Transmission Gully applications was conducted from 13 February 2012 to 15 March 2012.
On 22 June 2012, the Board of Inquiry released its final decision on the Transmission Gully applications.
Board of Inquiry decision(external link)
In August 2012, the Minister of Transport directed Waka Kotahi to assess the suitability of using a Public Private Partnership (PPP) procurement model to design and build the motorway.
Following an extensive business case analysis (using the Treasury’s better business case framework), Waka Kotahi determined that the project meets the Treasury’s criteria for a PPP procurement model.
In November 2012, the Cabinet gave Waka Kotahi approval to finance and build the Transmission Gully motorway using a PPP. Waka Kotahi was also given approval to borrow up to the estimated costs of traditional procurement as part of the PPP. Final approval of the borrowing limit was confirmed by the Cabinet before Waka Kotahi awarded the PPP contract in 2014.
CloseA Board of Inquiry hearing was held on the request for changes to the Wellington Regional Freshwater Plan in July 2011.
On 15 August 2011, Waka Kotahi lodged the regulatory and resource consent applications for the project with the EPA
Detailed information on the applications, process and timeframes
On 24 August 2011, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) recommended to the Minister for the Environment that the regulatory consent applications lodged for the Transmission Gully project be directed to a Board of Inquiry as a proposal of national significance.
On 16 September 2011, the Minister for the Environment directed that the regulatory consent applications be referred to a Board of Inquiry.
Media releases on applications referral:
On 10 October 2011, the Board of Inquiry announced its final decision on the request for changes to the Wellington Regional Freshwater Plan.
EPA details of the final decision(external link)
CloseIn 2010, during Phase 2 of the project, engagement on design and environmental matters was undertaken with iwi, community groups, statutory agencies and territorial/local authority stakeholders in preparation for the lodgement of Notice of Requirement (NoR) and resource consent applications with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
In September 2010, Waka Kotahi lodged a request with the EPA seeking changes to the Wellington Regional Freshwater Plan to provide a clearer policy framework within which resource consent applications for the Transmission Gully project for activities in and on water bodies could be considered.
A series of Open Days and a Project Expo were held in October 2010 to give the public the opportunity to find out more about the Transmission Gully project. The Open Days and Project Expo covered the planning process, noise issues, traffic effects, ecology and water issues, and showed what the Transmission Gully route will look like.
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