Confusion as quarry consent declined

An expansion of operations at Kings Quarry in Waitoki is among the 149 projects which the government wants to fast-track through resource consent approvals, under legislation expected to be enacted before the end of the year.

Eight days after the government released the list of projects, an independent panel declined an earlier resource consent application for expansion at the quarry – applied for under the Covid-era short-term fast-tracking consenting process.

That decision came 196 working days after the application was lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

The EPA is not involved in decision-making but provides procedural advice and administrative support to the panel convenor, Judge Laurie Newhook, and the expert consenting panel appointed by him.

The panel’s decision can be appealed to the High Court, in whole or in part, although on questions of law only.

On October 6, the government released its list of 149 fast-track projects, including “stage 2 and 3” expansion of existing activities at Kings Quarry. It said the project area would occupy 60 hectares of the 152-hectare total site area.

It was one of eight quarrying projects on the list which Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said would help to enable 43 infrastructure projects listed – including new road, rail and public transport routes – as well as other future infrastructure projects.

As Hibiscus Matters reported in March, proposed expansion of Kings Quarry would remove more than 29 hectares of vegetation from an Auckland Council Significant Ecological Area (SEA) and Natural Heritage Outstanding Natural Landscape (HM March 11, 2024).

Jones said each project listed would be evaluated by an expert panel whose members could apply relevant conditions.

“As we’ve publicly said before, the government is also recommending to the Environment Committee that expert panels have the ability to decline approval for projects,” he said.

Kings Quarry previously applied for resource consent to expend the quarry under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020.

That proposed project’s Ecological Impact report noted that native plants and wildlife, including long-tailed bats – whose conservation status is threatened, nationally critical – would be affected, along with streams flowing through the site.

Rodney Local Board deputy chair Louise Johnston said she hoped that the project would not simply be “rubber stamped” under the new legislation.

“Given that the extension of the quarry has already been declined under the existing [Covid-era] fast-track legislation I am very surprised to see this on the list,” she said.

“The proposed quarry extension is in an area of significant ecological value and outstanding natural landscape – the cost to the environment and the community if this is consented cannot be underestimated.”

Kings Quarry belongs to the Semenoff Group, which also runs a sand quarry in Ruakaka, the Tomarata sand quarry near Wellsford and the Kamo Scoria quarry. Director Alexander Semenoff did not respond to a request for comment about the project’s inclusion on the fast-track list.