Meridian Energy Limited’s Te Uku wind farm project has won Environment Waikato’s inaugural earthworks site of the year award.

The 28 turbine wind farm construction project involves building 26 kilometres of roads on 55 square kilometres of private farm land near Raglan.

The award - designed to highlight and promote high quality, environmentally sensitive earthworks projects – was won by Meridian for 2009-10 due to the wind farm project’s very high standard of erosion and sediment control.

EW’s land and soil programme manager Grant Blackie said the award to Meridian was an acknowledgement of the "tremendous compliance with consent conditions that had been achieved throughout the construction process so far".

Mr Blackie said EW recognised Meridian’s contractors at Te Uku had contributed to the high level of compliance for the site.

"Besides Meridian receiving a site of the year certificate, we have also presented a certificate to Hick Bros Civil Construction Limited and Spartan Construction Limited.

"We congratulate all parties who have been involved in making this site a success and look forward to working with them as we monitor compliance as the project is completed.

"It is heartening to see such a large project being undertaken in a way that takes such careful account of the need to protect the environment," Mr Blackie said.