Project overview
Funding of the designation of the Oakleigh to Marsden Point rail link corridor.
In late 2006, the Regional Council completed a regional capability review of infrastructure in Northland in order to identify gaps or constraints to regional growth and to prioritise the need for further infrastructure development. One of the six top regional priorities identified is the establishment of a rail link to the Marsden Point area.
The first stage in this project is the designation of the land needed for the rail link corridor.
A designation is a provision in a district plan which provides notice to the community that the land will be needed in the future for a particular project. Once a site is designated for a particular purpose, the requiring authority is able to:
- Proceed with the specific work on the site as if it was permitted by the district plan.
- Control activities that occur on the site, to prevent the landowner doing anything that would compromise the future work (this is the case even if the requiring authority does not own the site).
- Apply to the Minister of Lands to compulsorily purchase or lease all or part of the land under the Public Works Act 1981.
- Enter private land to undertake investigations.
Designating the route means that the land will be available in the future when the funding is identified to build the railway. If this is not done, it means that a subdivision or other development may take place in the meantime on the land that makes up the preferred route.
The proposed Oakleigh to Marsden Point rail link leaves the existing North Auckland Line (NAL) at Oakleigh approximately 25km south of Whangarei City. It travels eastwards for approximately 16km to link with the new deepwater port at Marsden Point.
View a map of the proposed route (672 KB)
Note: This file may take up to 1.5 mins to download via dial-up Internet access.
Several possible routes were evaluated by comparing engineering options, costs, and environmental, social and cultural factors.
A rail link is vital given the contributions the rapidly developing Bream Bay area makes to Northland’s regional economy through its port and other businesses.
An $800,000 feasibility study completed in 2003 for the Northland Regional and Whangarei District Councils had found that developing the link would offer a host of benefits, including helping to ease forestry-related traffic volume and congestion problems on the region’s roads.
The study also found development of the rail link could create the equivalent of more than 200 fulltime jobs during the construction period and inject millions into the local economy. It could also help attract other big businesses to the Marsden Pt area.
The Regional Council's 2007-2008 Annual Plan includes the funding of a one-third share in the $10M (GST exclusive) project to designate an Oakleigh to Marsden Point rail link corridor.
Although the total cost of the roughly 16km long rail link is estimated at about $120M, the Council is currently only contributing towards the $10M first stage – paid for over the next three years - to secure the route and provide some certainty to the landowners involved.
The proposed financing would see the Regional Council, rail network operator ONTRACK and Central Government each contribute one-third of the $10M needed.
We will need to spend about $1M (excl GST) to meet our first-year share of the designation costs and would find that money from Council reserves. However, if the designation went ahead, a new Regional Infrastructure Rate would eventually need to be considered to pay for the last two years of the project.
At this stage, no firm plans exist for the construction of the rail link. Further investigation will be needed to develop an appropriate funding model.
Stage 1 refers only to getting the funding to designate the route.
Negotiations are currently under way to buy the land needed for the proposed rail link. You can find out more about this by clicking on the media release link below:
Relevant background documents
There are a number of reports available for background only to this project.
Please be aware that some of this information may now be outdated.
Reports:
Prepared by BECA as part of the 2002/2003 contracts Northland Regional Council and Whangarei District Council.
Engineering Reports (final)
- Volume 1/2: Engineering Design / Assessment - Executive Summary and Main Report - text
- Volume 2/2: Engineering Design / Assessment - Executive Summary and Main Report - maps
Assessment of Environmental Effects (draft)
- Volume 1/3: Notice of Requirement (including land requirement plans), Resource Consents and Drawings - text and maps
- Volume 2/3: Assessment of Environmental Effects - text
- Volume 3/3: Assessment of Environmental Effects - appendices
Note: Volume 1/3 is not available for purchase as this has been updated by ONTRACK and will form the basis of documentation for the pending designation process.
Alternates to Roading Analysis (draft)
- Oakleigh - Marsden Point Rail Link "Tracks for Growth" - a summary document produced in September 2003 for central government just prior to the Government's buy-back of the national rail system. Comments within this document may now be outdated.
Order a copy of these reports:
A charge for photocopying will apply.
If you would like to order a copy, please contact:
Planning Secretary
Philippa Springford
Tel: 09 438 4639 Ext 9213