New Heathcote tip

Press, 7 March 1978, Page 10

New Heathcote tip

' Heathcote County will! statr immediately to open its !new rubbish dump on 10 hectares on the north-west side !of Truscotts Road — across. 'Truscotts Road and thei Ferrymead railway line from 1 i the present dump, towards - the Heathcote estuary*. Heathcote has yet to de- ! cide whether it will continue ; to support the Christchurch ■ I metropolitan refuse scheme. A decision is expected at the .; next meeting of the council, • , i after it hears the Commis-; i sion for the Environment! ■ audit on the scheme’s impact; ■ I report. i, The council’s works and reserves committee voted unanimously for the new tip. liThe committee’s chairman ; (Cr D. J. Patchett) said i there seemed to be no ■ j alternative to such a move in i J spite of the high costs in-i ■lvolved. The future of theH metropolitan scheme was far < 11 from assured, he said. , According to present esti-L ■j mates, the county expects toi ; spend §55,500 on rubbish;' :! schemes this year. Operating ji ,i costs are estimated at §23,000.! ■ development of the new siteji 'I §15,000, and the county’s !i I contribution to the metro-p I politan refuse scheme i <

517.500. Next year the total cost is estimated at §83,000. The county would have to find an extra 810,000 next year to meet the cost of its two rubbish dumps, said the County Engineer (Mr R, J. Anderson). The proposed dump would “never be a liability.” said the county chairman (Mr J. M. McKenzie). Eventually, it might be incorporated into the metropolitan refuse system. Otherwise, it could become a “goldmine,” with Heathcote in a strong position to

help other local bodies if the . i scheme did not go ahead. 1 1 said Cr Patchett.The existing dump has a life expectancy of at least; ;two years, and the proposed dump about eight. There was an “unwritten 'agreement” between the: .'county and the Ferrymead! Trust that the site of the existing dump would “even- 1 itually” become part of the ihistoric park, the meeting! 'was told. This obligation was i moral, rather than legal, at I the present time, said Mr 1 McKenzie.