18 Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project| Landscape and Visual Effects | overall tunnel ventilation system on completion of the first raise bore vent shaft. All ventilation equipment will be located underground thereafter. Poly Farm An area of hardstand dedicated to storage of high-density polyethylene pipe and fittings for use in the underground mine is located on a flattened spur to the east of the proposed Willows Rock Stack. Willows Portal The Willows Portal will form the initial tunnel entrance with a nominal cross-sectional area of 6.0 metres high by 5.8 metres wide. Following geotechnical investigations to confirm the suitability of the portal location, earthworks will be undertaken to form the portal. Suitable earthmoving equipment, including backhoe excavator, bulldozer and rock breaker will be utilised. If necessary, blasting will be employed. Once the face area of the portal has been established, ground support will be installed in accordance with the geotechnical design, including steel sets/arches, rock bolts, concrete and steel plates. Other required equipment and accessories will be installed at the portal, including transformers, ventilation fan, water storage tank, lighting and safety tag board. Ventilation Shaft A single vent shaft (Vent 1) will be constructed in the Willows Road site outside the Coromandel Forest Park at approximately 1km from the tunnel entrance. The ventilation shaft will have a nominal diameter of up to 5.5 metres. No clearance of vegetation is envisaged necessary to undertake breakthrough works and establish a vent collar at this location. An exhaust stack, up to 8 metres in height, will be installed on completion, together with fencing to prevent unauthorised and animal access. At the closure of the project, all surface infrastructure will be removed, and footprint areas fully rehabilitated to return the land to pre-tunnelling status as being suitable for farming. Stockpiled topsoil will be reclaimed for use in rehabilitation. 6.2 Landscape Effects To assess the level and nature of physical effects associated with the project, the assessment has considered the sensitivity of the physical landscape features undergoing change together with the magnitude of change proposed. For this project, this may include changes to the landform and vegetation affected by the proposed activity. Assessing landscape character effects provides judgement of the level and nature of changes to the existing landscape character. Such landscape effects can also relate to perceived or associative landscape values. This assessment considers the specific landscape values, depending on the location of the development proposed and the extent to which this will undergo change. To inform an assessment of the magnitude of landscape change, it is also important that the size or scale and the geographical extent of the area influenced is defined where possible together with the duration of the effect and whether potential effects can be rehabilitated or remedied. 6.2.1 Landform Servicing the underground mining activities will require development of surface infrastructure that will alter the existing landform of the Willows Road site. Such modification includes the creation of surface infrastructure and an associated rock stack progressively brought to and from the surface through a portal to the underground mine. This occurs within the undulating and folded landform of the Willows Road site which contributes a key characteristic of the foothills of the Coromandel Ranges.
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