UPDATE ON WINSTONES QUARRY – please see attached.
stephen June 6th, 2010
UPDATE ON WINSTONES QUARRY
Following on from the item below at http://www.meolacreek.org.nz/2009/07/23/changes-to-meola-three-kings-and-western-springs-aquifer/ ARC and ACC granted Winstone Aggregates Ltd a Resource Consent to carry out earthworks and contaminated site discharges associated with the development of a cleanfill site at Three Kings Quarry, Mt Eden Road, for a term of 20 years, on the 28th November 2009. STEPS, Three Kings United, SEPG, Friends of Oakley Creek, Envirowaste and others appealed.
Subsequently Winstones have applied for a new resource consent, while appeals against the 2009 application are still to be heard. Supporting documents are at http://www.winstoneaggregates.co.nz/DMS/Three_Kings_Quarry.php?id=43
Winstones already have a “dewatering” consent whereby they can pump 5000-10,000 cu m of water (approximately 1-2 Olympic pools ) per day until 2030 out of the Meola-Three Kings- Western Springs Aquifer. Instead of the water flowing naturally downhill through creeks to the Waitemata Harbour, it is now pumped over to Onehunga and flows through the waste water system and into Manukau Harbour.
In regard to the new resource consent application, STEPS is concerned that the interpretation applied to the definition of ‘clean fill’ promoted by the applicant is not properly in accord with that specified in the Proposed Auckland Regional Plan: Air Land and Water, and MfE guidelines for “Clean Fill”.
Attached are two submissions: the first is from STEPS and the Friends of Oakley Creek; the other is the combined submission of Watercare Services and Metrowater; both outline concerns about the potential contamination of the aquifer.
