Federated Farmers and Transpower are now one step closer to solving the debate around land access and upgrades to Transpower’s infrastructure.

At a Federated Farmers meeting, lower South Island landowners have unanimously agreed, in principle, to a schedule which will see them paid for disruptions caused by a major upgrade of  transmission lines on their land, during Transpower’s ‘Facilitating Renewables’ project.

Landowners Group spokesperson Ken Gillespie says the agreement is a significant and positive step forward for on-going talks between the two parties.

 “We still have ongoing discussions regarding an annual rental because we do believe very strongly that the infringement on our farming businesses that these pylons and their associated lines are should be recognised”

“Well, we just continue negotiating. It’s not really a fight. We don’t want to be militant about. We’d sooner just keep talking.”