Styx Rd site for station?

Press, 4 December 1981, Page 4

Styx Rd site for station?

An electricity sub-station, which would form the Marshlands end of the controversial 220Kv power supply line through a corridor from Bromley, might be sited on farmland off Lower Styx Road. The Waimairi County 'Council’s planning committee yesterday approved the designation of the land for public work after an application by the Ministry of Energy. but was cautious not to discuss the controversial route of the proposed line. The chairman. Cr I. Calvert, said that the matter related . to the sub-station only. The transmission line route was not the committee's concern. Residents along the "corridor” are concerned about the presence of power pylons near their properties.

Cr Calvert said that the Municipal Electricity Department had looked at several possible sub-station sites along the proposed pylon route. The application for designation sought the rear part of a 25ha farm property owned by Mr R. C. Muschamp, who objected to the proposal. In the planning report, the sub-station was termed "an essential part of projected movements to the electricity distribution system for northeast Christchurch. The Municipal Electricity Department was facing an increased demand because of development in that area." (Opponents of the line say that the demand has not increased at all.) "Some aspects of the transmission line route have been the subject of contro-

versy. but the council accepts that under section 64 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1977, electricity lines are deemed to be permitted as of right through the district,” the report said. Although Mr Muschamp objected to the siting of the sub-station, the council considered that this was an instance where “public interest must outweigh the interests of the individual. As land purchase is involved, the opportunity exists for compensation,” it said. Cr Calvert, who was chairman of the committee which heard submissions on the matter on November 19. said that there the committee could not see “any way” it could uphold any points in Mr Muschamp’s claim. Mr Muschamp said that the sub-station would lower

the value of his property, cause a nuisance, and make it less profitable. The planning committee yesterday confirmed the requirement, but subject to several conditions. One was that no alterations to the existing contour of the land be made until the County Council had approved an Outline plan. Cr Calvert said in the report that the council was satisfied that the site was suitable for the proposed work, and that the economic, social, and environmental effects ‘ were not such that would cause the requirement to be revoked. Sandhills on the property would remain, but if sand had to be shifted, the council favoured investigating if the sand could be used to Mr

Muschamp’s advantage elsewhere on his property. House costs up The average cost of a dwelling in W’aimairi County has risen in the last 12 months. The average value of dwelling permits issued by the county building inspector for November was $59,000, compared with almost $46,000 in November last year. The average cost of a square metre , for last month's dwelling permits was $395, ' compared with $309 12 months ago. Permits issued for last month, including commercial, were 209. with a total value of about $4.8 million. There were 171 permits issued in November 1980. for a total of $3.05 million.