Further smelter delay?

Press, 30 January 1982, Page 12

Further smelter delay?

PA Wellington Planning hearings on the proposed Aramoana aluminium smelter may be delayed until late April. The date for Planning Tribunal hearings on the project under the fast-track National Development Act was put back.in November until early March, a delay requested by the South Pacific Aluminium consortium while it found a new finance and technology partner to replace the withdrawal of Alusuisse last October. This week the consortium told the tribunal that when the March 9 hearing started it would seek either an adjournment of at least one month or an adjournment for an indefinite period.

Lawyers for the consortium said the' replacement partner, expected to be picked from a short-list of three companies about the middle of next month, would need time to review planning consents and assemble expert evidence. Delays over the replacement also had slowed the considering of evidence from existing partners — Fletcher Aluminium and Gove Alumina.

“It may well be that we will have to request an adjournment sine die pending the outcome of the negotiations with the interested parties,” said the consortium. “We will keep'the tribunal informed as to the outcome of negotiations so that a firm date for the inquiry ‘can be set as soon as practicable.”