A programme for the plant's construction was outlined to the Environment Court in Oamaru yesterday by lead project engineer Stuart Ward.
"Construction and commissioning of the cement plant and its associated quarries, pits, access and distribution facilities would be a large and complex undertaking," he said.
Construction, which would involve a workforce of up to 430 people at its peak and cover about 24ha, could start next year and be completed in 2012 for commissioning and possible production later that year. Work would also be needed preparing the limestone quarry, sand quarry at Windsor and coal mine at Ngapara.
NZ Rail would need to reopen the Waiareka-Weston branch line, including laying a new track, which would take 90% of the plant's production to Timaru's port for shipping. The other 10% would be supplied to the southern South Island market by truck.
The railway line, which already had resource consent approval, would be needed during construction of the plant.
The timetable also depended on successfully negotiating contracts with equipment suppliers and contractors.
Mr Ward said the vision was to establish a modern "dry process" plant to meet the growing New Zealand demand for cement. Its size, starting at about 650,000 tonnes a year and increasing to 880,000 tonnes, was to meet expected demand through to 2030.
At full production, the plant and quarries are expected to employ about 125 people.
The Weston site for the plant was chosen because of its close proximity to suitable raw materials and fuel, ready access to rail, road and a deep-water port at Timaru, and the availability of suitable and appropriately zoned land owned by Holcim, Mr Ward said.
Landscape architect Allan Rackham said the cement plant would only be viewed from a relatively sparsely populated rural landscape. The Whitestone limestone bluffs next to the plant site were a significant natural feature, but not outstanding.
The Holcim proposal, in all its parts, would modify the present level of activity in the area west of Oamaru, affecting amenity values, particularly near the manufacturing plant.
However, it was not an unexpected change because of the land's status as a cement-policy area, and because of other quarries and industrial plants in the neighbourhood, Mr Rackham said.
Holcim (NZ) Ltd
• A $300 million cement plant, coal mine, limestone and sand quarries in the Waiareka Valley.
• The Otago Regional and Waitaki District Councils granted 46 resource consents for the plant in February, 2008.
• Consents appealed to Environment Court by Holcim, the Waiareka Valley Preservation Society and Andrew Renalson; interested parties Waitaha Waitaki Trust Board and Waitaha Maata Waka; respondents the Otago Regional and Waitaki District Councils.
• Being heard by Judge Gordon Whiting, commissioner Charles Manning and deputy commissioner Dr Bruce Gollop.
• Hearing runs from March 9 to 11, then March 30 until completed.
