14 May 2020

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Responding to strong community concerns, Christchurch City Council today considered the decision by Selwyn District Council (SDC) and Environment Canterbury (ECan) to grant Fulton Hogan resource consent for a new quarry in Templeton. 

 After studying the Commissioners’ decision and seeking further independent expert and legal advice, it has decided not to pursue an appeal.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says, however, that the Community Board should be proud of all they achieved.

The evidence they gave, along with the Council funded experts, who provided back-up for their submission, clearly had a significant impact on the decision that was made. 

The Templeton Residents Association should also be proud of their efforts, the Mayor says.

“There is no question that their combined input has improved the conditions that have to be met by the consent holder before they can start operating and that monitoring and accountability once they start will be significantly improved as well,'' Mayor Dalziel says.

The decision not to appeal was made in the confidential part of the Council meeting to ensure the legal advice obtained by the Council could be discussed by elected members in detail.

All the advice provided to the Council will be released as soon as the appeal period has passed and any proceedings are concluded.
Fulton Hogan applied to SDC and ECan last year for resource consent to establish a new quarry – the Roydon Quarry – between Curraghs, Dawsons, Maddisons and Jones roads.

The Waipuna/Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board made a submission on behalf of Christchurch City Council, in which they opposed the consent application.

Hearing Commissioners, after considering all the evidence, decided to grant Fulton Hogan resource consent for Roydon Quarry, with conditions.

The Community Board raised concerns in the submission about the impacts a quarry operation would have on the surrounding area, particularly in terms of noise and dust and increased volume of heavy vehicle movements.

The consent conditions to mitigate these impacts include restrictions on truck movements, reducing hours of operation, as well as providing landscaping and a bund to improve visual amenity and reduce dust.

 “I know the Community Board and the local community will be disappointed with the Council’s decision not to appeal, but that decision was made on strong legal advice, backed up by the experts who had been engaged in the process. 

“However the consent conditions that are now in place, are in large part because of their efforts. This means the Community Board and the local community can focus their attention on ensuring that the conditions are met and complied with, and we will support them in that role,” says Mayor Dalziel.