The gradual expansion of a Papamoa subdivision and a subsequent linking road is creating worrying headaches for one resident.

A petition is currently circulating in support of extending Golden Sands Drive up to Parton Rd – but Toni Thomas is angry with residents supporting this, claiming there is little chance the road extension may assist people escaping a tsunami.

Toni Thomas on the incomplete Golden Sands Drive.

For the last month, residents and businesses have been promoting the petition which will see Golden Sands Drive extended along to Te Okuroa Drive and the Parton Rd roundabout.

'Apparently, the road is not planned to be put through for another 20 years and they are saying we are going to die from a tsunami if it's not put through,” says Toni.

Toni purchased her Nicole Place property four years ago after doing background research ensuring Golden Sands Drive was not going to be a main thoroughfare, and she is angered this will all change if the road is rushed ahead of the subdivision.

'I know the road is going to be built but it's going to be built in such a way that it will have no people and it will evolve into being an empty drag strip like Bell Rd is at the moment.

'This is more than an issue about a possible tsunami, which could happen during the evening or the weekend, that we would have enough warning to get into our cars and where the traffic would just end up clogged up at the Tara Rd and Parton Rd roundabout and not be any better off.”

Tauranga City Council infrastructure planning team leader Philip King says as part of council's long term plans, the road will eventually go right the way through to the Kaituna River and is designed to take traffic to Parton Rd – away from Papamoa Beach Rd.

But construction on the road is only to begin once 1000 houses have been built in the Wairakei area, which is five to 10 years off – 'so it will not become an empty road,” says Philip.

'The first aim of that road is to provide a water main to the Wairakei development; and secondly, to enable traffic that's travelling a longer distance to not use Papamoa Beach Rd.”

Adding to Toni's concern is the recent spate of burglaries in the Papamoa area, aided by the freshly installed tsunami bridges, and she fears the road will only intensify the crime rate.

'What's happened is they have used the tsunami bridges to jump over fences and burglarise houses and run over the bridges where it's not populated and roar off [in cars]. This will get more frequent if offenders can quickly escape down a virtually deserted road.”