Engineers will not quarry in Templeton

Civil engineering company Fulton Hogan has promised not to dig a new quarry on land next to Templeton, where residents are already fighting a proposed development.

There were fears the company could build a new site just metres from homes after it emerged it has a licence to carry out mineral exploration work on Christchurch City Council-owned land.

The firm says it has ‘‘no plans’’ to pursue any development of the land and will not carry out activities there.

It comes as Fulton Hogan confirmed it has asked Environment Canterbury (ECan) and the Selwyn District Council for its forthcoming application for a new quarry on the edge of the town to be publicly notified, allowing residents and businesses to scrutinise it and have their concerns formally considered.

The company plans to quarry a 170ha tranche of land at Dawsons Rd for up to 40 years so it can supply aggregate for infrastructure projects, a proposal that triggered concerns among the local community over health, traffic and noise issues and the impact on housing.

The company’s South Island general manager, Craig Stewart, said the move would allow the whole community to have input into the consideration of the development, which would play a ‘‘pivotal role’’ in supplying Canterbury’s aggregate needs.

‘‘We are committed to being a good neighbour and we are seeking feedback to identify key concerns and questions local residents and stakeholders may have.

‘‘These will help shape our proposed operation and the consent applications to minimise impact on the community.’’

Stewart said Fulton Hogan had no plans to explore or develop land between the proposed quarry site and Templeton.

The news has done little to assuage Templeton residents’ concerns. Garry Kilday, chairman of the Templeton Residents Association, said: ‘‘Given the large-scale opposition that this community of close to 2000 people have shown, we expected the resource consent to be publicly notified.

‘‘The adverse effects on our environment, people and community are major, clearly falling within the publicly notified criteria.’’

Suggesting the company was not acting as a ‘‘good neighbour’’, Kilday added: ‘‘Last week the prime minister said it ‘will no longer be good enough to say a policy is successful because it increases GDP if, at the same time, it also degrades the physical environment, or drives down wages or fractures a community’.

‘‘Neither is it good enough to degrade the environment and fracture a community to increase commercial profit.

‘‘In the 12 months ending June

2017, Fulton Hogan profit was

$179.6 million. Surely that is enough and they do not need to harm our community for more money.’’

The company has been invited to meet the TRA and attend a community meeting to hear the views of residents.