Posted: 25 February 2005
Record number of submissions on Marsden B proposal
A proposal to convert the Marsden B power station to run on coal has attracted a record 3000-plus submissions to the Northland Regional Council - six times the previous highest number for a Northland development.
State-owned-enterprise Mighty River Power has applied to the Northland Regional Council for a total of 11 air, land use and coastal resource consents needed to operate the Bream Bay power station, using coal for fuel. A 12th application – for land use consent – has been sought from the Whangarei District Council and has attracted about 1000 submissions.
Regional Council Consents Manager Dave Roke says an extended 2½ -month period for public submissions on the proposal closed yesterday (Thursday 24 February) attracting significant local comment as well as submissions from around New Zealand and overseas.
Mr Roke says the final number of submissions is still being collated today. However, as 9am today, it appeared there were about 3200 submissions to the NRC, easily eclipsing the previous record for submissions for a Northland development. The previous record had been about 530 submissions on the Whangarei Heads Sewerage Scheme in 2000.
Mr Roke says more than 95 percent of the 3000-plus submissions are from people opposed to Mighty River Power’s plans for the station, which was designed to run on oil but mothballed in 1979 without having been used.
“About 750 submitters have indicated they wish to appear in person to outline their concerns,” Mr Roke says.
He says at this stage it is too early to accurately predict the likely length of the proposed hearing, however, it is expected to run for at least two weeks in June.
The consent applications are expected to be heard by independent Commissioners representing both Councils at a joint hearing to be held in Whangarei.