Decision report- Carey's Gully Sludge Dewatering Facility - Greater ...

sludge dewatering plant. Ms McCashin again stated that in her closing that
while her recommended duration may be outside of the scope of the
application, she saw no effects based reason for the City Council’s consent to
be limited to less than 25 years as was original applied for. She also noted that
land use consents do not normally have a time limit but in this instance it is
appropriate.
Ms Anderson for the applicant, confirmed in her right of reply that the Council
accepts that it is limited to the duration that they applied for (25 years) and that
this is the maximum period that the hearing panel can grant the land use
consent for.
The hearing panel considered the evidence given by Ms McCashin and the
applicant in regard to the duration of the land use consent. They concurred with
the view of Ms Anderson that 25 years was the longest period that they could
grant consent for.
The hearing panel viewed that aligning the duration of the land use consent
with the durations of the discharge consents was the most appropriate course of
action. Therefore the land use consent would expire on 14 June 2026 and have
a period of approximately 16.5 years. The hearing panel considered the
argument of the applicant that the consents should be lined up with MPWWTP
consents which have been granted consents for a period of 25 years from early
2009. However, in considering Part 2 of the Act the hearing panel decided that
the duration should be consistent with the discharge consents associated with
the disposal of sludge and specific to the subject site, Carey’s Gulley.
The WCC consent SN161775 expires on 14 June 2026.
17.5 Reasons
The reasons for granting consent and imposing the conditions in Schedules 1
and 2 are discussed earlier in this decision and can be summarised here as:
• The activities provide a necessary service to the social, economic and
cultural wellbeing of the community, Wellington City and the Wellington
Region.
• The proposed continued use of the SDF has a number of benefits including
the continued use of existing infrastructure which is an efficient use of an
existing physical resource.
• The mitigation measures and conditions of consent will avoid, remedy or
mitigate the adverse effects of the discharges on the environment.
• Consent conditions imposed on the resource consents will ensure that the
Best Practicable Option is being utilised to address the effects of the
discharges.
• The proposed activities are not contrary to the relevant objectives and
policies of the RPS, PRPS, RDLP, RAQMP, and the WCC District Plan.
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