New Zealand highway project proving controversial

The East-West highway connection project in Auckland is proving controversial. Several community groups are lodging appeals against the US$1.37 billion (NZ$1.85 billion) project, despite it having been approved recently by the New Zealand: Government. The groups appealing against the highway link project now include Jackson Electrical, Mercury Energy, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, iwi Ngati Whatua and The Onehunga Enhancement Society (TOES). One of the issues of concern is that the project will require substantial coastal reclamation work. Several of the community groups believe that the reclamation may prove damaging and that alternative options for the route would be more suitable.