Recently the Wellington City Council has been consulting on the heritage rules for residential property in the inner city neighbourhoods, with the aim of rationalising how heritage controls are applied. This has come about because the rules can be different depending on where you live - the controls in Thorndon are not the same as the ones in Mt Cook, for instance. This is part of District Plan Change 72 (DPC72), and like many other public and private groups the NZ Transport Agency has made a submission on the proposed rules.

It's astounding in its arrogance.

The Agency begins by saying that under the National government's Policy Statement, the alleged economic improvement that comes from building more roads should take precedence over all other considerations. Using their logic, simply driving your car faster makes us a richer nation!

The Agency then goes on to suggest that the heritage protection provisions of the District Plan shouldn't be applied to State Highway 1 as it passes through inner city Wellington:

Accordingly, the NZTA seeks that the explanation to Policy 4.2.2.1 be amended by inserting references that recognise that there is a possibility that some properties within the Mt Victoria/Mt Cook demolition control area may be affected by future state highway roading works, and that it is necessary that the importance of Wellington's character be balanced with the infrastructure needs of the city and region.

If we strip out the bureaucratese, it's apparent that NZTA thinks that roading projects should take precedence over the WCC rules that prevent the demolition of pre-1930s houses. And if anyone wants to know what "balance" looks like in the Agency's mind, they only have to check out the incompetent management of the Te Aro heritage area by NZTA when it rammed through the Inner City Bypass.

But wait, there's more!

Not only do NZTA want to ignore the heritage rules, they want home owners and the local community to pay for the impact of the new roads! In their submission they go on to say:

Whilst the position outlined above [that traffic noise should be controlled in residential areas] is supported by NZTA it is important that this paragraph also recognises that certain sections of SH1 (eg Ruahine St and Wellington Rd) abut residential areas, and therefore traffic noise should be anticipated in such locations.

The NZTA seeks that this policy be amended to explicitly recognise that traffic noise is an inevitable consequence of the operation of the highway ...

Any new residential building and any additions or alterations to an existing residential building within 80 metres of a State highway with a speed limit less than 70km/hr and within 100 metres of a State highway with a speed limit of 70km/hr or higher, must be designed and constructed to achieve an internal level of 30dbA inside any habitable room with the doors and windows closed .... compliance with this performance standard shall be achieved by ensuring habitable rooms are designed and constructed in a manner that accords with an acoustic design certificate signed by a suitably qualified engineer stating the design as proposed will achieve compliance with the performance standard.

Got that? The NZ Transport Agency wants to wash its hands of the responsibility for increasing the road noise into your house, but if - god forbid! - you decide to alter or extend your home, they will inflict you with many thousands of dollars in expensive acoustical engineering and consultancy fees to make the place liveable.

And the final piece of surprise and delight from the NZ Transport Agency - they want to be notified if any early childhood centres are going to impact on the State highway network! So while they're busy disclaiming all responsibility for the noise, pollution and degradation of the city the kids will grow up in, they want protections in place through the District Plan so that the free flowing of cars and trucks isn't interrupted or inconvenienced by small children.

It's difficult to understand the arrogance and sheer stupidity of the officials who drafted this submission. But hopefully the Wellington City Council will do the right thing, and put the needs of local residents ahead of the needs of the trucking lobby when they finalise the changes to the District Plan.