Organiser Mike McCaleb said about 100 people assembled at Southbrook on Saturday and marched to the Waimakariri District Council lawn in High St to protest the proposed managed landfill at White Rock.
Environment Canterbury and the district council have jointly notified resource consent applications from Christchurch-based Protranz Earthmoving Ltd.
‘‘Protranz announced they wanted it put to public submissions all along, but if we hadn’t spoken up, it wouldn’t have got the same attention.
‘‘I am happy to engage in the process, but the way the process works I feel it favours the rich submitters.’’
McCaleb says residents are concerned about the potential environmental damage to the Karetu River, which feeds into the Okuku River, and then the Ashley/Rakahuri River.
Around a dozen properties use the Karetu River for stock and drinking water, and the rivers are used for fishing and recreation.
‘‘Mahinga kai and asbestos don’t mix,’’ he says.
Increased truck movements are another concern, particularly trucks carrying asbestos and other contaminants to the landfill.
McCaleb encouraged people to make a submission at whiterock.org.nz.
Protranz is seeking to restore the Whiterock Quarry at 150 and 174 Quarry Rd, North Loburn, to near its previous landform, by filling it with managed fill, building and demolition waste and contaminated soil material, including asbestos.
Consent applications have been lodged with both Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council.
The Waimakariri District Council’s Rangiora-Ashley Community Board has also expressed its opposition, with the council approving $10,000 in funding to allow the board to seek professional, legal and technical advice.
Submissions close on October 9.
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
LDR is local body journalism cofunded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
