Rubbish case goes to tribunal

Press, 25 August 1983, Page 8

Rubbish case goes to tribunal

Redwood residents opposing the proposed siting of a rubbish transfer station in their area have brought their case before the Planning Tribunal. The tribunal yesterday began hearing the evidence of the Christchurch Metropolitan Refuse Disposal Committee as to why it wanted a northern transfer station.

The Redwood Co-ordina-tion Committee has appealed against permission granted by the Waimairi District Council for the station to be built on one of two sites in Redwood.

Site A is in Styx Mill Road and site W is at the corner of Barnes Road and Cavendish Road.

In his opening submissions for the Refuse Committee, Mr J. R. Milligan said permission for the use of each site was sought. Site A was owned by the committee and it had an option to buy part of site W, which was privately owned. If (the tribunal approved the use of both, one would then be selected by the

committee. That choice would be influenced by land purchase negotiations and public reaction to the options, Mr Milligan said. „ Transfer stations, of which the committee hoped to run three by 1986, were the method of rubbish collection decided as best by the Christchurch local bodies comprising the committee.

Already the western station in Parkhouse Road, Sockburn, was open and another was being built in Ruru Road, Bromley. Mr Milligan said the northern transfer station was urgently needed because the existing city dumps were fast being filled.

The need to replace the Sawyers Arms Road tip near Christchurch Airport was particularly urgent. Its wide tipping face attracted birds which posed a hazard of bird strike for aeroplanes. “This matter of urgency

... relates direct to the Krvation of the lses of who travel by air,” Mr Milligan said.

He then called on Mr B. H. Scott, streetworks engineer for the Christchurch City Council, to give evidence.

Mr Scott said the Bexley tip would be full by the end of 1984. It supported the need for three stations. “If the transfer stations, together with the proposed coastal landfill, are not in place by late 1984 the council will have nowhere to put its rubbish,” he said. Mr Scott was cross-ex-amined by counsel for the Redwood committee, Mr F. Chisholm. Mr Chisholm’s questions on funding of the rubbish disposal scheme brought down a ruling by the tribunal’s chairman, Judge Skelton.

He said the financial aspects of the case were irrelevant and were not matters on which the tribunal should base its decision.

The hearing, before Judge Skelton (chairman), Messrs A. McLennan, G. W. Ensor, and R. S. Martin, will resume today with further evidence for the Refuse Committee.