Waipuna Estate – Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA)

Waipuna Estate sought resource consent from Selwyn District Council (SDC) to use an existing dwelling as a wedding and functions venue in Tai Tapu, classified as a Conference Facility under the Selwyn District Plan. SDC required a traffic impact assessment as a condition of consent, including details of parking areas and vehicle movements on site. ViaStrada conducted a document review, trip generation calculations/modelling, design development (including bus tracking drawing), District Plan rules compliance checks, and an assessment of transport effects and mitigations.

Gerkins Road Context
Gerkins Road is a low-volume, narrow, unsealed rural road maintained by SDC.

Vehicle Access and Parking
The only vehicle access is from Gerkins Road via a gated unsealed driveway. Some sections of the driveway are too narrow for two-way traffic, though this is manageable given guests typically arrive and depart together. On-site parking has previously proven safe and functional for the rural setting.

Conclusion
Average weekly vehicle movements are well within the District Plan threshold.  Peak movements do not coincide with peak traffic periods on Gerkins Road and remain low enough that no queuing or congestion is expected. The low traffic volumes, infrequent operation, and seasonal nature of the venue are therefore expected to have less than minor effects on road user safety, Gerkins Road and the environment. The proposal is considered safe, functional, and compatible with Gerkins Road's role as a low-volume rural road.