Selwyn Times: July 08, 2020

SELWYN TIMES Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Wednesday July 8 2020 5
News
Big attendance at mine meeting
• By Devon Bolger
A COMMUNITY meeting
to discuss the controversial
application to expand a mine in
the Malvern Hills drew in a big
crowd on Thursday.
Siana Fitzjohn said about 60
people were in attendance at the
meeting in Glentunnel last week.
The idea behind it was to
discuss Bathurst
Coal
Ltd’s proposal
to expand its
opencast coal
mine, known
as Canterbury
Coal Mine, at
Siana Fitzjohn Bush Gully Rd,
by 18ha.
“I honestly didn’t know what
to expect. I think it went very
well. There were lots of different
points raised and it was great to
all be in one room to discuss the
different facets of the issue.
“It was a very constructive
discussion. Overall the vibe that
was created was quite a good
one,” she said.
Malvern Hills resident Brian
Thomspon who opposed the
expansion in his submission also
attended the meeting.
“I feel the meeting was a good
open discussion and was handled
well,” he said.
One of the main points of
discussion at the meeting was
the retrospective element of the
consents.
Said Ms Fitzjohn: “There is
some uncertainty around what
is consented and what isn’t and
I think that really highlights
the problem of this process. We
don’t actually know clearly how
much [coal] has been taken out
without consent.”
Bathurst Coal Ltd is seeking
retrospective land use consent
for earthworks that already exist
as well as in the future at the site.
A district council’s report
on the decision for public
notification reads: “In 2017, the
applicant [Bathurst Coal Ltd]
was formally advised that resource
consent was required for
increased truck movements.
“The resulting application for
increased heavy vehicle movements
was lodged in 2018. During
that process, it became evident
that the increase in heavy
vehicle movements was directly
related to the increase in the volume
of coal being extracted, and
that the increased mine production
was not consented.”
After much discussion,
Bathurst Coal Ltd agreed to
prepare an application for the
CONTROVERSIAL:
About 60 people
attended the
meeting in
Glentunnel to
discuss the
expansion of the
Canterbury Coal
Mine last Thursday. ​
expansion of the mine, it says in
the report.
Ms Fitzjohn says she hopes to
continue the discussion with the
community going forward.
The application has proven
controversial with 547 public
submissions opposing the expansion.
Bathurst Coal Ltd did not
respond to questions from the
Selwyn Times.
•HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you
support the expansion of
the Bathurst coal mine in the
Malvern Hills? Email your
views to devon.bolger@
starmedia.kiwi
Aquatic
centre
closure
reduced
THE PLANNED shut down of
the Selwyn Aquatic Centre for
upgrade works has been reduced
from six weeks to a day.
The facility will close on July 13
as the power needs to be turned
off to complete the work.
It was initially scheduled to be
closed for six weeks during the
expansion and upgrade works.
However work was able to be
completed during level 3, reducing
the shutdown needed to one day.
The expansion will see a new
10-lane, 25-metre pool built,
more than doubling the facility’s
capacity and accommodating
increasing demand from
aquafitness, casual swimming,
deep water and other activities.
The structure of the new pool
has been completed with work
now starting on the building
surrounding it.
The new pool is due to open
in March next year and work to
upgrade the changing rooms,
staff and public areas and existing
leisure pool is due to be completed
by November next year.
6 MARCH
LINCOLN
2021
JON STEVENS
THE
NOISEWORKS
+INXS COLLECTION
STAN WALKER
JORDAN LUCK BAND
ANNIE CRUMMER • JASON KERRISON OPSHOP • THE LADY KILLERS
RODNEY FISHER GOODSHIRT • CHE FU SUPERGROOVE • NATHAN KING + ANDY LYNCH ZED
AUTOMATIC 80’s • THE REMNANTS OF HELLO SAILOR
Tickets On Sale Now
www.selwynsounds.co.nz