Community board joins fight against Canterbury landfill plan
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Community concerns over the environmental impact of a proposed landfill in North Canterbury have led to a local community board taking a stand.
The Rangiora-Ashley Community Board will make a submission against a landfill being proposed by Christchurch firm Protranz Earthmoving Limited at its quarry at White Rock, near North Loburn.
Protranz has lodged resource consent applications with Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council to construct and operate a proposed landfill for the disposal of building and demolition waste, and contaminated soil material.
Board chairperson Jim Gerard said the community board members decided to stand alongside the local community, who were concerned about the risks to groundwater and the local Karetu River.
He said the board would seek financial assistance from the Waimakariri District Council to seek specialist advice to help prepare its submission.
‘‘We are representing the community so we need to ensure whatever information we do present, is presented as well as it is able to be.’’
At a recent meeting, a sub-committee of Gerard and board members Ivan Campbell and Kirstyn Barnett, who represent the board’s Ashley sub-division, was appointed to work on the submission.
Gerard said he had met with White Rock and North Loburn residents to discuss their concerns.
‘‘We talked about what we were doing and have kept them informed.’’
A residents’ group is preparing its own submission.
Oxford residents and the Oxford-Ohoka Community Board were recently successful in their opposition to a proposed landfill at View Hill, near Oxford.
Questions have been raised about whether another landfill is needed, given the Kate Valley Landfill, a regional landfill in North Canterbury, has plenty of capacity.
‘‘It is particularly well managed and internationally noted for its operation,’’ Gerard said.
‘‘We would hope any consent, if granted, will cover all of those things.’’
The Burwood Landfill in Christchurch had its consent to operate extended last month for another two years to June 2026, because it has yet to reach its capacity.
About 100 White Rock and Loburn residents attended a public meeting in February and have since formed an incorporated society to organisation the opposition to the landfill proposal.
Spokesperson Mike McCaleb said there ‘‘was a high degree of anger, disappointment and resentment’’ expressed by people throughout North Canterbury.
‘‘So many people were depressed, stressed and feeling hopeless about their ability to affect the proceedings.’’
Bouyed by the recent Oxford landfill decision, the residents now feel more confident.
‘‘We are a small community with a big heart. We have many passionate and committed professionals in our community.’’
McCaleb said residents were concerned about the potential environmental damage to the Karetu River, which feeds into the Okuku River and then the Ashley/Rakahuri River.
Increased truck movements was another concern, particularly trucks carrying asbestos and other contaminants to the landfill.
Protranz general manager Shaun Coakley said he respected the community board’s decision.
‘‘We knew the development of critical infrastructure such as a managed fill landfill would attract attention from the local community, hence our decision to voluntarily publicly notify.
‘‘Whether by providing additional information that clarifies their issues or collaborating to establish consent conditions that mitigate their concerns, we're committed to an open dialogue.’’
Consents have been lodged with both Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council, and are on hold, awaiting more information.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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Proposed Canterbury landfill faces huge opposition
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
More than 500 submissions have been received in response to a proposed managed fill landfill in North Canterbury.
Christchurch-based Protranz International Ltd has applied to Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council for resource consents to establish and operate a quarry and landfill operation at White Rock.
Waimakariri District Council planning manager Wendy Harris said the applicant was up against ‘‘probably the most organised local group I’ve ever seen’’.
‘‘They organised a protest march, they’ve got signs all around and they’ve got a website and a Facebook page.’’
She said the 548 submissions was more than the 421 submissions to the draft Waimakariri District Plan, which was notified in 2021.
A proposed housing development at Ohoka, near Rangiora, in 2022 received 630 submissions.
While the details of the submissions have yet to be released, it is understood the majority are opposed.
Harris said planners from the two councils will plan joint hearings early next year.
More than 100 people marched from Southbrook in Rangiora to the Waimakariri District Council lawn in High St in September to express their opposition.
Organiser Mike McCaleb said residents are concerned about the potential environmental damage to the Karetu River, which feeds into the Okuku River, and then the Ashley/Rakahuri River.
He said he was surprised there were not more submissions but said he was aware of several people who had issues with Environment Canterbury’s website timing out.
‘‘It will be interesting to see the details of the submissions.’’
Protranz is seeking to restore the Whiterock Quarry, at 150 and 174 Quarry Rd, North Loburn, to near its previous landform, by filling it with managed fill, building and demolition waste and contaminated soil material, including asbestos.
The company bought Whiterock Quarry in 2022 with plans to fill it with soils and inert construction rubble removed from building and land development sites in Christchurch and North Canterbury, which are sent to Kate Valley Landfill.
‘‘Sending this stuff to Kate Valley adds a massive cost to developers, homeowners and community organisations who have dirt to move, and fills Kate Valley with material that can be better managed somewhere else,’’ Protranz founder Gerard Daldry said.
He said Protranz commissioned a wide range of testing including site investigations, technical assessments and design of the managed fill to support the resource consent applications.
The reports found environmental risks were ‘‘extremely low and able to be mitigated’’, Daldry said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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