Community vows to keep fighting landfill during consent appeal

A Canterbury community is vowing to continue its fight against a proposed landfill in "beautiful Oxford back county" after learning the company will appeal its consent decision.

Oxford-Ohoka Community Board deputy chair Thomas Robson said he was disappointed to hear Woodstock Quarries Ltd had decided to appeal a decision to decline a resource consent.

Hearing commissioners declined the application to create a landfill and expand an existing quarry site last month, concluding the applicant provided ‘‘insufficient information’’.

• Community wins battle to stop new landfill

‘‘The community made it very clear to us that they are overwhelmingly opposed to a landfill in the beautiful Oxford back country,’’ Mr Robson said.

‘‘We will continue to advocate for them in the Environment Court.’’

Woodstock Quarries Ltd submitted resource consent applications in 2021 with Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council to develop a landfill and expand an existing quarry at 513 Trigg Road, View Hill, near Oxford.

The Oxford-Ohoka Community Board was among those who submitted against the proposal, raising concerns about traffic, fire safety, dust, operational logistics and amenity effects.

The Commissioners concluded the project posed ‘‘unacceptable risk to nationally and regionally significant biodiversity and cultural values’’.

During the consent process, opponents questioned the need for another landfill when the Kate Valley Landfill near Waipara, in North Canterbury, had capacity.

In all, 397 submissions were received, with 395 in opposition.

Woodstock Quarries Ltd director Darryn Shepherd confirmed his company had appealed the decision, but declined to comment further.

In April, Shepherd told Local Democracy Reporting he understood the community's concerns, but he was confident the landfill would be safe.

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.