Hamilton Southern Links

Project Update March 2026

30 March 2026

Geotech investigation on the route of HSL

Underway with Hamilton Southern Links investigations

Investigation work to support the Hamilton Southern Links (HSL) pre-implementation phase is now in full swing with geotechnical, archaeological and environmental teams out gathering information.

Teams have visited a number of locations along the HSL designation, between Tamahere and Frankton.

They've been checking out streams, wetlands and animal species, surveying known archaeological sites and digging sample holes to analyse the soil and test for ground water and ground movement. 

We would like to thank those landowners who have generously allowed us on to their properties, whether its to survey the wildlife or to dig boreholes (as pictured above).

Your help allows us to collect vital information so that we can build a clear picture of the environment and ground conditions along the route of HSL.

This means that when it comes to designing the road we can plan to minimise the impact to the environment while building a road best suited to the conditions.  

We’re well on the way to gathering all the data we need, with more than half of the planned wetland and stream surveys complete, and most lizard monitoring sites are now in place, with early checks underway. 

Archaeological investigations have been completed across all locations, with a draft report now being reviewed with our tangata whenua working group (more on this group below).

Geotechnical work is also progressing, with initial boreholes and testing installations completed. 

The next key step is to appoint a consultant to help us with preparing the necessary consenting and design information so that we can gain all the necessary approvals to make HSL construction-ready. We’ll share more information about this process in future updates.

Tangata whenua lead a blessing prior to the start of HSL geotech investigations

Working with tangata whenua to deliver HSL

As we discover more about the environment of HSL, it's also vital for us to work with our tangata whenua partners to build on our knowledge of the historical and cultural aspects of the land along the designated route.

To do this we work with local hapū through the Hamilton Southern Links Tangata Whenua Working Group (TWWG). 

This is made up of representatives of the 6 hapū whose rohe includes parts of the HSL designation; Ngaati Mahanga, Ngaati Koroki Kahukura, Ngaati Haua, Ngaati Tamainupoo, Ngaati Wairere and Ngaati Apakura as well as iwi representation from Waikato Tainui.

Collaborating with the TWWG is critical to the pre-implementation phase as the cultural and historical values of the area need to be acknowledged through the consenting process, building on work done during the designation process. 

As with all of NZTA’s major projects, tangata whenua are important partners across the different stages of HSL, with important project milestones marked by a blessing, such as the start of geotech works last month.

Analysing soil samples from a borehole

A refresher on pre-implementation

In our December update we covered what we mean by pre-implementation. In case you missed it here’s a quick recap. 

Pre-implementation is the process of getting HSL construction-ready so that it can be built when funding is available.  

HSL already has a designation in place, an important first step in the planning stage of any major project. Designation identifies the land required for the project in the planning maps of the relevant local councils, in this case Hamilton City Council, Waipā District Council and Waikato District Council. 

Designations provides certainty for everyone from NZTA to other government agencies, councils, property owners, and buyers, that the land designated is required for a particular purpose. This allows all parties to know what is planned to help make informed decisions about the future. 

Following the designation, the next step of the pre-implementation process is obtaining the necessary consents and statutory approvals to allow construction to go ahead. 

In order to get approval, NZTA needs to submit consent applications that will include a range of reports which show how the project will be built and how we will mitigate the impact of this on the local environment and neighbouring communities.

We also need to prepare more detailed design drawings to show how the road will look and how it will operate once built.

How to keep up to date with HSL

If you or your friends and whanau want to follow the progress of HSL, the best way to do that is through this newsletter.

To sign up you can head to our website, nzta.govt.nz/hsl and enter your email address in the ‘Subscribe to updates’ box.

As HSL moves through the pre-implementation phase we’ll share progress, milestones and any special announcements we want to share with the community.

Contact Us

For more information on the Hamilton Southern Links project, contact us at Southernlinks@nzta.govt.nz or visit our website, nzta.govt.nz/hsl