The Waitaki District Council has moved to clarify its role in issuing resource consents for 16 proposed dairy farms in the Ohau and Omarama areas amid increasing criticism that the public never had a chance to comment on them.
In September and October, the council granted land use consents to Five Rivers Ltd, Southdown Holdings Ltd and Williamson Holdings Ltd for the farms, which would run up to 17,850 cows.
The consents and certificates were not publicly notified - which denied people the chance to make submissions - because planning manager David Campbell said the effects were not considered to be more than minor.
"The sites are very isolated and there is considerable separation [from] any established residential dwellings."
There were no special circumstances which would lead the council to conclude the applications should be notified, nor were any affected parties identified, he said.
Yesterday, Mr Campbell further clarified the council's position and said it could not make any ruling on the effects of dairy farms on lake, ground and river water quality.
These were matters of concern for Environment Canterbury (ECan), which was considering 5200 public submissions on the water and discharge applications for the proposed dairy farms.
"When considering land use consents the Waitaki District Council will assess the odour, noise, dust, rural amenity and visual effects of the proposed activity.
The council's decision is based on these points and these points alone.
Because the impact on odour, noise, dust, rural amenity and visual effects were minor the council granted land use consents for the proposed dairy farms."
The council was concerned with the protection of unique landscape and recently changed its district plan to protect outstanding and significant landscapes, including coastal areas and much of the high country.
This process was open to public submission.
More than 400 submissions on landscape protection were received and considered by the council.
After considering private property rights and the restrictions this change would place on land owners, it had allowed farmers to continue productive rural activities on land that was not protected.
The areas where land use consents have been granted for high-intensity dairy operations were not protected by landscape classifications.
