The limited partnership leasing the land is owned by Spanish infrastructure investment firm Acciona Concesiones SL and British investment company Aberdeen Group plc, the decision said.<\/p>\n
The Puhoi to Warkworth road, which the Warkworth to Te Hana motorway project will extend. Image \/ NZME<\/p>\n
The Crown owns, or is in the process of buying, the sensitive land, which is in many different titles, enabling the new expressway<\/a> to be created.<\/p>\n Acquisition is via the Public Works Act 1981; the land is being bought by the Crown to enable construction of the expressway.<\/p>\n The land will be leased to the applicant for the construction of the road, which is expected to take about seven years.<\/p>\n The agreement is for maintenance and operation of the road after it is opened to public traffic for a term of 25 years.<\/p>\n The main benefits to New Zealand are likely to include:<\/p>\n Investment of billions for the design and construction of the project;Creation of about 1150 jobs per year over the construction phase of the project and 38 jobs per year during the operational phase of the project (25 years); Advancing of the Government\u2019s Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024.<\/p>\n The application was subject to a national interest assessment as the applicant is a non-New Zealand Government investor. The national interest test was met.<\/p>\n Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said detailed design and early works will begin later this year, and construction is expected to start in late 2027.<\/p>\n The project will deliver a new 26km motorway between Warkworth and Te Hana, strengthening the transport link between Auckland and Northland. <\/p>\n It says the new road will support safer, more reliable journeys on a key route for people, freight and regional communities, with expected travel time savings of around seven to 10 minutes per journey. <\/p>\n It will also help reduce the number and severity of crashes and improve resilience through the Dome Valley, where the existing SH1 is often affected by slips and closures.<\/p>\n However, opponents say the extension is unnecessary.<\/p>\n Transport Minister Chris Bishop said on July 30 that the public-private partnership deal had reached financial closure.<\/p>\n The consortium would design, build, finance, maintain and operate the expressway from Warkworth to Te Hana.<\/p>\nNZTA proposes two tolling points for the first stage of the Northland Corridor from Warkworth to Te Hana.<\/p>\n