October 3, 2018
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Super dump bombshell News that industry giant Waste Management wants to develop a major new landfill site for the Auckland region in the Dome Valley has been greeted with shock and dismay by the local community. Waste Management, which is owned by Beijing Capital, has obtained Overseas Investment Office approval for the purchase of a large block of land to the east of State Highway 1, between Forestry Road and the Hoteo River, including the Springhill property and airstrip. The landfill itself would be sited in a valley 1km off the highway on land that is currently owned by Matariki Forestry. The company is yet to make any resource consent applications, but is planning to lodge these following a consultation and assessment period from now until December, which includes two open days this month (see panel page 3). Waste Management posted its Auckland Regional Landfill plans on its website on Monday, September 24 and started contacting local residents who live nearest to the proposed site. Primary teacher Leane Barry was the first to receive a visit from the company’s technical officers and she quickly spread the news and excerpts from the proposal brochure on local social media pages. Many people have expressed horror at the prospect of up to 300 extra trucks travelling through the Dome Valley every day, as well as concerns over the implications for the Hoteo River and the many other streams that flow through the site. Springhill, which is the former home of the late tech millionaire Tony Lentino and, prior to that, Wellsford businessman and philanthropist Richard Izard, went on the market in August last year. However, Waste Management managing director Tom Nickels says the company had already picked out the forestry block as its preferred site before that. “This was identified before Springhill Estate was available for purchase,” he said.
Dome Valley resident Leane Barry lives on SH1 surrounded by native bush. The news that her family home will be just 1km from a proposed new landfill came “like a bolt from the blue”. See story on page 3.
He added that there were a number of considerations Waste Management had weighed up when looking for a potential site to replace its existing Redvale landfill at Dairy Flat, which is due to close in 2028. “These include consideration of culturally sensitive and significant natural areas, the distance of the site from Auckland and access to highways, and providing a ‘buffer’ of land between the landfill and neighbouring residences, which will be a 1km radius at this site. Also, geology and separation from sensitive rivers and aquifers has been considered,” he said. “Combining all these criteria, a search throughout the Auckland region north of the bridge identified the site on current Matariki Forest land, behind Wayby and Dome Valleys, as the most appropriate site for the proposal.”
While he acknowledged community concerns over increased heavy traffic, he maintained that road safety remained a priority with this project and for all the company’s operations. “We will continue to work with the community and NZTA on this aspect of our proposal,” Mr Nickels said. He referred to NZTA’s project to improve safety through the Dome Valley and said additional improvement projects were under investigation by the NZTA. “We will continue to engage with them on the proposed landfill,” he said. Concerned residents have set up a Facebook group at – Fight the tip. Save the Dome – to coordinate a response to the proposal.
off the drawing board this month . . . m SaweII DESIGNER GrahaARCHITECTURAL
New home - Greenhithe
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more on the landfill on page 3
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