Sign In / Register
Findings from the second phase of consultation on Redvale landfill were released last month by Waste Management, with reconsenting Redvale emerging as the most supported option.
Three options were put forward: reconsenting Redvale in Dairy Flat, sending all waste to Whitford landfill, or splitting volumes between the two sites, with four variations presented under that third option.
In total, 706 submissions were received from the community, commercial customers and Auckland Council’s Waste Solutions team. Reconsenting Redvale had the strongest support, although Waste Management noted that higher participation from the Whitford community may have influenced results.
Redirecting waste to Whitford had the least support, while the four variations of the split option sat in the middle.
Feedback from both communities highlighted traffic, odour, water quality and ecology as the most significant concerns.
Waste Management says its board will now review all the information and identify a preferred option. After that, the company will consult with directly impacted parties before lodging its final resource consent.
The future of Redvale remains tied to the proposed Auckland regional landfill at Wayby Valley, which has been stalled in the Environment Court for more than two years.
Appeals against Council’s decision to grant consent for the Wayby site began in June 2022 and continued on and off until December 2023, when Judges Jeff Smith and Melinda Dickey issued an interim decision.
They suggested that a modified application, conditions and management plans could potentially be approved, but flagged major impediments, including the loss of 14km of streams.
Since then, Waste Management has been revising more than 400 pages of conditions and management plans, in discussion with the court and opponents such as Fight the Tip and Forest & Bird.
Opponents suffered a blow in May when Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua and Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust joined Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust in switching their stance to support the landfill. Local Ngāti Whātua and Puatahi Marae members criticised the move, saying they had not been consulted and that it undermined tikanga and a rāhui tapu placed on the site in 2019.
The Environment Court has now scheduled a new hearing for Wednesday, October 15, where Waste Management will present its revised plans and additional evidence. Five days have been set aside, with three more in reserve.
Meanwhile, Forest & Bird’s appeal of the interim decision was dismissed in the High Court last year, and a further application to appeal to the Court of Appeal is due to be determined in mid-November.
