Residents living close to where a concrete recycling plant is to be built are crushed at the prospect of endless noise and dusty waterways, reports Joanna Davies
First, some concrete facts.
Brigham's Creek is named after John Brigham, who built Auckland's first flour mill beside the waterway in 1856.
The creek runs through rural River head and Whenuapai.
So far, so solid. But flour milling stopped years ago and building a concrete recycling plant at the beginning of the waterway probably wasn't what John Brigham had in mind.
And it's not what residents have in mind either.
Fulton Hogan plans to put an aggregate recycling centre on SH16 between Riverhead and Whenuapai.
Right now, the site is a clay quarry, surrounded by houses, small busi nesses and a very busy main road.
Cheryl McLeod - who owns a boarding kennel and cattery at the back of the site - says neighbours are very concerned.
``They [Fulton Hogan] are planning to have the centre open 24 hours, seven days a week,' she says.
``Fulton Hogan have said they will only crush the concrete between 6am and 6pm, but the trucks will be able to dump the concrete at the site all night.'
Fulton Hogan held a public meet ing three weeks ago to tell Riverhead people about the plans.
``It was good of them to hold the meeting,' says Mrs McLeod, ``But I've found out this has been planned since 2007, and they could have approached us earlier.'
Other residents are worried about the lighting and about concrete dust getting into their water tanks.
``To get into the site, the trucks will have to turn from a standing start on SH16, at the bottom of a hill, while carrying tonnes of aggregate. This road is already dangerous, and this will make it worse.'
Fulton Hogan does not yet own the property, and has not submitted the necessary application for consent to Rodney District Council.
But Mrs McLeod says it looks like work has already started, and diggers are piling up huge mounds of dirt.
``They have already started to make the bunds [embankments] to block out the noise, and we can still hear the diggers doing the work from 200m away. Imagine what it will be like when the crusher is operational.'
Noel Rugg, Herald Island Resi dents and Ratepayers Association chairman, says the plant is a good idea - but in the wrong place.
``I'm all for recycling but, with the traffic along that road, it's just too dangerous,' he says. ``Fulton Hogan didn't have to tell any of us about their plans until they applied for consent.
``It was very good of them to tell us but it's not the best site.'
Grant Borrie, Fulton Hogan's North Island manager, says the site was selected because it would provide West Auckland with much-needed resources.
``Following extensive initial design works, Fulton Hogan is now engaging with the neighbours and wider community to gauge their concerns,' he says.
``The feedbacks from these consultations are now being evaluated, and we are planning to undertake fur ther consultation with neighbours and interested parties prior to lodging for resource consent.'
The company is expected to apply for resource consent in May. joanna.davies@theaucklander.co.nz
Dirty days ahead?
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