Tokoroa milk drying plant gets quicker consent

The relatively speedy granting of a resource consent to a planned milk drying plant in Tokoroa is a great example of what can be achieved when companies work proactively with the regional council, says regulatory committee chair Lois Livingston.

Dairyland Products Ltd was granted a consent under the Resource Management Act within 15 working days of application.

“This shows that quicker decision-making is available under the act for well-organised companies who engage with us before they put in applications to see what they may need to do to get consent,” said Cr Livingston.

Two key features of the Dairylands application was that the company would offset the plant’s effects on air quality by helping to replace home heating wood burners in Tokoroa with cleaner heat sources.

Another environmental mitigation measure in its proposal is that the company will use wastewater from the plant to irrigate farmland

“It’s great to see companies like Dairylands making the effort to get their ducks in a row before they make a consent application – talking to us first means we all save time and that projects aren’t held up unnecessarily.

“The council is keen to promote economic development in our region and we want take a partnership approach with industry on this,” Cr Livingston said.