Dump proposal faces zoning hurdle

Waste Management could face “some difficulty” in obtaining permission to develop a landfill in the Dome Valley, which is zoned as rural production land in the Auckland Unitary Plan, according to Auckland Council.

Landfill is a non-complying activity in rural areas so the onus will fall on the company to prove that it would not adversely compromise the purpose of rural production land – that is, to provide for the use and development of land for rural production activities and rural industries and services, while maintaining rural character and amenity values.

However, a new landfill would not necessarily require a zoning change for the 1000ha of farm and forestry land being purchased by Waste Management, a Council spokesman said.

“For instance, the Redvale landfill operates in the mixed rural zone with an approved resource consent,” he said. “However, as a non-complying activity there will be some difficulty in obtaining approval, as the application will need to demonstrate that either the effects are not adverse or that it is not contrary to the objectives and policies of the Rural Production Zone.”

Those objectives include maintaining the productive capability of land and protecting it from inappropriate use and development.

Waste Management has said that it will maintain ongoing pasture grazing on the Springhill block and plant replacement pine forest there. Meanwhile, the commercial forestry land will continue to operate, managed by Rayonier Matariki Forests, which is selling the 657ha block of Mahurangi Forest to the waste company.

Concerns over potential discharge and pollution of waterways leading into the Hoteo River, which flows into Kaipara Harbour, from the landfill have been voiced by several organisations.
Integrated Kaipara Harbour Management Group (IKHMG) programme manager Willie Wright said he was still trying to find out more about the plans and how they might impact on the harbour catchment.

“Of course, the IKHMG position is about the health of the Harbour, its tributaries, watercourses and, of course, the whenua,” he said. “Seepage and leaching is of interest as well, including waste, toxins, plastics, and so on.”

Forest & Bird’s Auckland and Northland manager, Nick Beveridge, voiced similar concerns.

“I’ve had a look at the Unitary Plan maps and the main issue that I can see is the potential for leaching of heavy metals and toxins into a nearby stream catchment,” he said.

Waste Management managing director Tom Nickels said leachate from the waste would be collected and managed appropriately, and the company was working to design treatment facilities that would not adversely affect water quality.

“At this stage we have engaged experts who will complete the analysis and modelling required to design appropriate water treatment facilities and stormwater treatment processes for the proposed landfill,” he said. “This work includes engineering solutions to ensure any stormwater that is discharged into the Hoteo River or its tributaries does not impact water quality. The draft design directly separates stormwater from the waste with the stormwater flowing into a series of ponds to ensure water quality before passing downstream.”

But Nick Beveridge was also concerned about the impact of the proposal on the land itself.

“Looking at the aerial photo on the Auckland Council maps, there does seem to be a good cover of vegetation. Some of this is forestry, but it could have a good native under-storey, and the rest looks as if it might be scrub/regenerating bush,” he said.

“I would like to know if an environmental impact assessment was carried out before the Overseas Investment Office gave approval for Waste Management to buy the land and, if not, why not? If there was one produced, then we need to get a copy in order to see what the biodiversity and ecological values are.”

Waste Management had not responded to a question about whether there had been an environmental impact assessment carried out as Mahurangi Matters went to press.

Residents rally to fight the dump

Local residents are vowing to fight Waste Management for years if necessary to prevent the proposed landfill from being sited in the Dome Valley.

A Facebook group with more than 660 members, Fight the Tip, Save the Dome, is rallying opponents to band together and block Waste Management, starting with a public meeting at Wellsford Community Centre tonight (Wednesday, October 17).

Group founder and Wilson Road resident Dave Sawyer says the community will fight 100 per cent.

“There are many people who do not want this for many reasons,” he says. “We want people to get on board with the fight against Waste Management. This is a meeting to stop the landfill. Waste Management is destroying our forest.

“We will go through what we have found up till now and will be welcoming comments and ideas. We also want more people to come on board to make sure this doesn’t happen.”

The meeting is timed to start at 7pm – the same time that Waste Management’s first open day at Springhill is scheduled to finish.

“They’ve done their open day when people are picking up kids from school, getting home from work and so on, when people are busy,” he says. “We’ve done ours afterwards, so we’ll see who comes out. People who don’t have much time will make a choice.

“At the end of the day what we’re doing is not a debate about whether a landfill is a good idea or a bad idea, it’s only to fight them. Read the title – Fight the tip, Save the Dome.”