Strict quarry conditions

Press, 16 August 1978, Page 14

Strict quarry conditions

Provision for a bitumen plant at the Halswell Quarry will not be a special part of the Paparua County Council’s zone for the quarry. I But this does not mean i that the Christchurch City I Council, owner of the quariry, cannot apply in the future to put its bitumen plant there, according to a recent Town and Country Planning Tribunal decision.

Nearby residents in the rural area had been concerned mainly that a Paparua County designation of the quarry might permit installation of a bitumen plant as of right. Use of the hillside quarry would be subject to conditions which were agreed upon by the City Council. Any activity not specified as a predominant use in the zone would require a specified departure. That would apply to a future bitumen plant, the tribunal said.

One zone condition says that the county council may require the installation of a hooter, which would be sounded for 15 seconds, five minutes before any explosions. AH new crushing equip-

ment must result in reduced i noise and dust levels. Not single rock-blasting explosion may exceed 951 decibels measured on land) not owned by the City 1 Council, and continuous <

I noises must be kept to a minimum. Kennedy’s Bush Road may ■ not be used — except for I local deliveries —- by quarry trucks south of the present quarry’ entrance.