Media Release from Richard Northey Candidate for Auckland Council Maungakiekie – Tamaki Ward

05 September 2013

During the Auckland Council Unitary Plan deliberations last week Maungakiekie-Tamaki Auckland Councillor Richard Northey achieved unanimous Auckland Councillor support for his motion to ensure that there are no new overhead electricity lines and he achieved support for the “Bury the Pylons” campaign to progressively underground the high voltage lines throughout Auckland’s Urban Area.

“The electricity pylons across the Onehunga Bay are a blight on our communities’ sky line, and those on land constrain the expansion of businesses near them. Hundreds of Local residents and businesses have attended community meetings and asked me to do anything I can to ensure that there are no new overhead power lines built and to ensure the progressive undergrounding of the current lines and pylons.” Northey said “I am pleased that I have been able to achieve across the board council support for my amendment to the Unitary Plan.”

Councillor Richard Northey’s successful amendment to the Unitary Plan adds to the “Bury the Pylons” campaign which has been championed by the Maungakiekie-Tamaki and Puketepapa Local Boards and by Labour List MP based in Maungakiekie Carol Beaumont and MP for Mt Roskill, Labour’s, Phil Goff.

ENDS

For more information please contact

Councillor Richard Northey: 09 6341494 or 0272 479 662

NOTE

Exact wording of successful amendment

Amend Unitary Plan Chapter C Part 1 to read “Infrastructure regarding Electricity Transmission Corridors be worded to provide that Council advocate for a progressive undergrounding of high voltage electricity transmission lines including a requirement that where there are new, or major upgrades to, electricity or telecommunications lines they be undergrounded unless there are significant economic reasons which outweigh the benefits”.