Kaukapakapa News

Latest Power Station News

Opponents of the power station have every right to say "I told you so"! On 20 November 2009 the National Business Review reported that "Economic viability and an unsecured gas supply may stall Genesis Energy's plans". Genesis Energy's spokesman admitted to NBR that gas supply could be an issue for the proposed power station at Kaukapakapa and that "The board obviously wouldn't start work without securing a gas supply agreement, but it also depends on capital expenditure, forecasts, electricity prices and other commercial considerations." Since being granted resource consent earlier this year, Genesis Energy has also confirmed that the company plans to exit gas exploration activities, including two prospects the company told the RDC/ARC hearing Commissioners were likely to be sources of gas for the Kaukapakapa plant.

The Electricity Commission's annual assessment of how secure New Zealand's electricity supply will be in future years has just been released for consultation. Confidential information provided by Genesis Energy and other generators was used to prepare a list of all new power stations that the generators expect to build before 2020. While Genesis Energy may have "got its zone" at Kaukapakapa, the gas-fired power station they've proposed for the site doesn't even appear on the ten year list.

Genesis Energy have confirmed to Parliament that capital expenditure on the Rodney Power Station project is already in the tens of millions of dollars. Strange then that a power station which is supposedly vital for security of electricity supply to Auckland and Northland now appears to have been put on the back-burner indefinitely.

Proposed changes to General Rural Zone rules in Kaukapakapa

The Rodney District Council has formally notified a variation to the District Plan. The proposed West Coast Rural Policy Area affects a large swathe of General Rural zoned land in South Head, most of Kaukapakapa on the harbour side of SH16, and right up to Glorit, Port Albert and Tapora. The variation is already in effect and puts new controls in place for buildings (scale, design, location), new buildings and external alterations to existing buildings. More stringent activity thresholds will apply to earthworks, tree and bush removal and wetland/watercourse modification. Submissions closed on 23 October 2009.

A summary of the submissions is now available for public inspection on RDC's website here.
The hearing on Variation 132 began on Wednesday 10 March. Dr Neville Miller (Chairman) presented a submission on behalf of KARRA.

Kaukapakapa Structure Plan

Kaukapakapa is a unique rural village within Rodney District that is experiencing growth pressures. To assist in managing these pressures Rodney District Council is undertaking a Structure planning exercise for Kaukapakapa to confirm the vision and develop a spatial plan to guide growth over the next 10-20 years.

Your thoughts and feedback will shape the final Stucture Plan and implementation strategy.

An Open Day will be held in October 2009 so members of the public can drop in to see a display of more information and ask questions of Council staff.

The Open Day will be held in the village, further details to be advised soon.

Additional information on the project will be available from the Rodney District Council website: click here. It will contain further information including previous background studies.

Please contact Yvonne Rust at the Council's Policy and planning Department Phone 0800 426 5169 for more information.