Substations: landscape guidelines for site selection, design, construction and maintenance : this study [dissertation] is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Diploma of Landscape Architecture, Lincoln College, University of Canterbury

Most of New Zealand's facilities for the bulk generation and \ntransmission of electricity are owned and operated by New Zealand \nElectricity, a division of the Ministry of Energy. Facilities \ninclude generating stations, high-voltage transmission lines and \nsubstations which function either as switching station, points of \nsupply, or both. Power is delivered in bulk to points of supply, \nwhere the voltage is stepped down, and it is sold to the local \nsupply authority for distribution to consumers. A continuous and reliable supply of electricity is of great \nbenefit to the community, however, there are considerable costs \nincurred in its production. As well as the economic costs of \nconstructing and operating power facilities, there are social \ncosts incurred through impacts to the environment. Substations, \nthrough their construction and continued presence in the \nlandscape can cause damage in a variety of ways. Potential \nimpacts include displacement and disruption of other land uses, \nerosion, alteration or destruction of wildlife habitat, and \nvisual intrusion. \nWhereas other impacts are usually localised in extent, visual impacts are consistently a problem. The substation with its \nindustrial character is regarded as a dectracting element in most \nlandscape settings. It is evident that the most signficiant decisions regarding \nimpacts to the landscape are made during site selection and it \nis at this stage of the planning process that the best \nopportunities to minimise impacts are found. The best overall \nplanning decisions will be achieved where visual, ecological and \nland use factors are considered alongside economic and technical \nones, as an integral part of the site selection process. \nImportant objectives in this process will be to avoid landscapes \nwhich have high visual and productive values, to avoid situations \nin which structures receive undue emphasis e.g. prominent \npositions, or sites viewed by large numbers of the public, and to \ntake advantage of opportunities such as the presence of marginal \nor inactive land, or areas with·good possibilities for screening. Site selection and site planning have traditionally been carried \nout by engineering personnel, although in recent years the \nDivision's landscape architects have contributed in an increasing \nnumber of projects. Opportunities for compatible siting and \ndesign have not always been fully utilised, and it has become \nevident that the landscape issues which are relevant for \nconsideration in substation planning require thorough and \ndetailed analysis by specialist personnel. \nThis study examines the benefits which can result from the \nincreased involvement of landscape architectural staff in all \nstages of substation planning, from site selection, site layout \nand design and planning of construction operations, through to \nsupervision of routine site maintenance.