Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project | Landscape and Visual Effects | 15 5.1.4 Mitigation and Integrated Effects Management To address potential adverse effects, this assessment has adopted an integrated effects management strategy that means in most cases the ecological mitigation and the landscape mitigation planting take a similar form and in the same key locations, or locations which link to one another. Ecology is integrated with landscape to provide a more continuous connection of vegetation and freshwater environments, which will benefit biodiversity throughout the proposed project footprint whilst also providing benefit from a landscape and visual perspective. This strategy thus aims to prevent a ‘patchy’ mitigation approach (whereby mitigation effort is dotted at irregular locations) and prefers a concentrated mitigation effort at selected locations. In addition, the integrated mitigation strategy has sought to enhance the ecological connectivity benefits across the landscape. 5.1.5 Summary of Assessment of Landscape, Natural Character and Visual Effects In summary, this assessment aims to: Systematically identify and assess the sensitivity of the landscape resource and viewing audience; Assess the potential magnitude of landscape, natural character and visual change which will result from the proposed development; Indicate the measures proposed to avoid, remedy or mitigate those effects; and Provide an overall assessment and professional judgement as to the level of the anticipated landscape, natural character and visual effects, considering the proposed opportunities for mitigation. 6.0 Wharekirauponga Underground Mine The WUG will be executed in two phases – development of access tunnels and Willows Road Infrastructure followed by commencement of underground mining. The proposed WUG extends from supporting surface infrastructure at the Willows Road site to beneath the Coromandel Forest Park and will eventually be connected with the existing Processing Plant via an underground tunnel. This has therefore been considered in two separate parts as set out below: 6.1 Willows Road Site 6.1.1 Site Appraisal The Willows Road site accommodates an irregular shaped landholding straddling the Mataura Stream and totalling 196 ha in area (see Figure 6). The current land use is pastoral farmland and features large fields bisected by post and wire fences across the property. Broadly the northern portion of the Willows Road site is defined by the interface with the Coromandel Ranges. The eastern portion of the site is defined by the Mataura Stream and the legal road boundary of Willows Road and the southern and western portions defined by property boundaries of adjoining farms.
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