Preserve Pauatahanui Incorporated is endeavouring to raise community awareness of the Puketiro proposal and to provide information and support for people wishing to oppose the Puketiro Wind farm. 

The Puketiro Wind Farm is an initiative by Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), primarily using council land with some additional adjacent private land also included. In 2006 GWRC entered into a contract with RES NZ Ltd for the development of the wind farm.

There have been few opportunities for people to comment on or object to the wind farm development. 

The only specific opportunity given by GWRC was a survey in July 2005.  The survey was circulated through GWRC’s Elements newsletter to all households in the Greater Wellington region, which included Kapiti and Wairarapa. 1300 people responded.

The only other formal opportunity related to wind farms, but not specific to the Puketiro development, has been Porirua City Council’s Plan Change 7.  This is a change to the District Plan to incorporate new rules and standards relating to wind farms in Porirua City.  Submissions for Plan Change 7 closed in December 2007. This process is ongoing with hearings still to be held.

Currently there are no formal opportunities for people to lodge any objections to the Puketiro Wind Farm.  The next opportunity to do this is likely to be when RES lodges an application for a resource consent for the wind farm.  RES has indicated that this is likely to be later in this year but no definite timetable is available.

However for those that do wish to object, it is very important that we make our views known to national, regional and local politicians because:
-    It is Government policy to encourage renewable energy sources including wind generation.
-    The wind farm is an initiative by GWRC on regional council land
-    GWRC, Porirua City Council and Upper Hutt City Council will have joint responsibility for considering any resource consent applications

Further information on what you can do to voice your opinion on this matter is available on our website at 'what you can do'.

To participate in discussion on the topic, for or against, you are welcome to post to our forum on this web site.

We are also keen to know how we can provide you with further information, and indeed if you have skills to assist us in our opposition, so please contact us again at info@puketiro.org