Consents manager Joanna Gilroy said yesterday the hearing would close today and the panel would then proceed with its deliberations.
Commissioners needed to issue their decision within 15 working days of the end of the hearing, she said.
The hearing for the city council’s application to build a landfill at Smooth Hill, near Brighton, has been adjourned since the end of May.
However, the council filed its final reply to submissions against its proposal earlier this month.
Ms Gilroy said commissioners subsequently asked one "administrative" question of the applicant.
"No substantive questions were asked of the final reply."
During public consultation last year the overwhelming majority of 283 submitters opposed the proposal — two submissions were in support, nine were neutral and 272 opposed.
The regional council then set aside two weeks for the public hearing.
Hawke’s Bay engineer, policy planner and expert commissioner Rob van Voorthuysen acted as chairman on the hearing panel which also included former Wanaka lawyer Jan Caunter and independent planning consultant Rosalind Day-Cleavin.
Proceedings in May were largely focused on two groups: a group of submitters from Brighton who raised concerns about the city council’s process and the impact a landfill would have on the area, including Brighton Beach; and Dunedin Airport, 4.5km from the proposed site, which raised concerns about the effect that birds attracted to the landfill could have on its operations.
In its reply the city council said it had selected an excellent site south of Dunedin to deal with the waste produced by the city.
