Who should I talk to?
| Inquiry type | Contact |
|---|---|
| General building and land use inquiries |
Landowner Relations Advisors and Landowner Liaison Officers:
|
| Residential housing, subdivisions, or development that may require resource consent from council |
|
The need for careful design
It is essential that developments are appropriate to the area and compatible with the National Grid assets, allowing for their ongoing operation, maintenance, upgrading and development, and the safety of those living, or working around them.
We use the terms ‘National Grid Yards’, ‘Subdivision Corridors’ and ‘Substation Corridors’ to describe the areas around our transmission lines and substations where you need to take care and consider Transpower in your design. Your council might describe these areas in other ways such as ‘buffer or transmission corridor setbacks’, however they all refer to the same need to restrict incompatible activities or inappropriate development around National Grid assets.
Subdivisions
Subdivisions, where larger properties are broken up into smaller blocks, can result in our established access being physically blocked or create sensitivity impacts (such as noise).
Transpower needs to be involved in the design and layout of subdivisions where the planned development encroaches on the National Grid Subdivision Corridor (typically the area 39m either side of the centre line of a transmission line), and the National Grid Yard (the area beneath, and immediately next to national grid assets and structures).
Many activities, including residential building, can occur within the National Grid Subdivision Corridor provided they are located outside the National Grid Yard and comply with other regulations such as the New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice.
Safe distances
Safe separation distances and access to National Grid lines need to be maintained to ensure Transpower can continue to operate and maintain the Grid. This means there can be some restrictions on how your land can be developed and where dwellings, buildings or structures can be safely located.
There are important regulations that ensure safe separation distances for development near existing National Grid lines. These include the New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice for Electrical Safe Distances 2001 (NZECP34:2001), and the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003 – both of which contain mandatory provisions.
Find out more about National Grid: City and District Plan Rules.
For developers looking to establish a Solar Farm near our assets, read our guidance document.
Underground cables
For assistance locating underground cables, please visit the beforeudig website, or phone 0800 248 344.