Rubble pile removed

The controversial pile of rubble on railway-owned land under the Durham Street overbridge has now been removed.

Environment Canterbury Resource Management Director Kim Drummond says staff had been working with staff from Skelly Holdings in recent weeks and inspection yesterday revealed that the pile of concrete rubble had been removed from the site. Further, the pile of unsorted mixed demolition waste had been relocated inside the warehouse where it would continue to be sorted.

“Now that the machinery breakdown had been rectified the processing will be now done inside so the risk of contamination from various materials had been addressed,’’ he says. “While there may be some potential for dust at the entrance to the warehouse where the trucks unload, this will be strictly managed with good housekeeping, a sprinkler system and good communication with neighbours.’

“There has been some public confusion about the legality of the operation and who is responsible for authorising the range of activities on the site,’’ says Mr Drummond.

The operation originally fell within the permitted activity rules set down by the Christchurch City Council. Environment Canterbury is responsible for regulating discharges into the air arising from the materials stored on site and for regulating contamination of land that may enter water. In fulfilment of these obligations, Environment Canterbury issued abatement notices to the company when the discharges into the air were in breach of the rules. Mr Drummond says.

“However, now the pile has been removed we are considering whether to remove the abatement notices. Our decision will be influenced by the extent to which the Company can demonstrate that site management practices have improved so that further discharges to air that extend beyond the boundary can be managed. The processing of demolition waste can continue inside the building as a permitted activity in accordance with the City Plan.’’

“A pile of timber along the northern boundary adjacent to the railway line will be cut at some time in the future, but this activity will require a resource consent. However storage of the material is also a permitted land use under the City Plan and we consider it won’t have the potential to be a dust nuisance.’’