Transfer station plans go back to the board

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 612, 14 November 1995, Page 5

Transfer station plans go back to the board

The question of where to locate the Orautoha transfer station for the disposal and collection of rubbish has once again been referred back to the Waimarino Community Board after having been 'through the system' and been met with an objection from a property owner whose land is adjacent to the proposed site. It was originally proposed to locate the transfer station on the former land-fill site at Orautoha but local farmer and Community Board member (at the time), Winston Oliver, sought to have the proposed transfer station relocated to the Orautoha Holding Paddock further down the road and owned by the Council. This was accepted by the WCB on 6 October 1994 and referred to the Ruapehu District Council which resolved that: "The Orautoha Transfer Station be located at the Orautoha Holding Paddock and the entire site be taken for that purpose. Accordingly, an application for resource consent was applied for on 13 April 1995 and approved on 23 May 1995, the Council having determined that the effect on the environment would be minor and that there

were no adversely affected parties. However, on 16 October 1995, Gordon McNie, a neighbouring property owner, objected to the use of the proposed site for several reasons. Among them were: •That rubbish will be dropped and blown around no matter how careful users of the site are and that plastic bags will be a hazard to stock on neighbouring paddocks. • Tips and transfer stations attract seagulls which are a hazard especially at lambing time. • Rodents which can carry TB will also be a problem and a nuisance. • Stock will be able to gain access to the site. • The proposed site is more exposed and visible to all and will therefore not be an attraction but rather will detract from what would otherwise be an attractive area for visitors. These objections were backed up by a petition to Council on 1 November signed by 29 people stating a preference to have the transfer station located at the existing site rather than relocating it to the holding paddock site.