Thursday 17 December

Review of consent for UFB

Following an investigation into the overhead Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) in Moana Road, Council has found inaccuracies with Chorus’s consent application and will review conditions of the consent in early 2016.

Council granted a consent to Chorus in November 2014 for installing UFB fibre across Gisborne. The inaccuracies in the application would have influenced the decision to approve the consent.

Environment and regulatory group manager Kevin Strongman says “after concerns were raised by Moana Road residents Council decided to assess if a review of consent conditions was needed.”

“Staff have been working together with residents and Chorus on this matter and a Landscape Architect, John Hudson of Napier has reviewed the consent application.”

Mr Hudson visited a number of Moana Road properties to determine the impact of the overhead deployment on visual amenity.

“His findings are that the resource consent application contained inaccuracies in regards to the proposed position of the cable and that the actual position would affect the outward views from two storey residences” said Mr Strongman.

“We’ve determined that the inaccuracies found influence the decision made by Council to grant the consent. “

Council will begin reviewing the conditions related to the inaccuracies early in 2016.

Chorus have removed the fibre from Moana Road until the review is complete.

Mayor Meng Foon says he hopes the cable will go underground.

ENDS

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