Quarry firm in bid to loosen rules

The company behind a proposed gravel quarry in Maraekakaho has asked the Environment Court to loosen restrictions on the operation.
Higgins Aggregates has lodged an appeal against some conditions of resource consent, granted last month.
Plans for the quarry, which will eventually be filled with water to create a lake, sparked opposition among local residents.
The consent was granted by an independent commissioner for Hastings District Council, following a hearing in October.
Resident Brian Fitzsimons said locals were disappointed that Higgins had applied to overturn some conditions.
Under dispute was the need for vehicles to have headlights on at all times, road-seal widening on Kereru Rd, and dates when the gravel could be extracted.
The company has consent to take up to 50,000cu m of gravel a year, but at least 80 per cent must be extracted between May 1 and August 31. Appeal documents said demand for gravel was difficult to predict and orders may come at short notice, and that the annual total was an adequate limit.
Higgins also appealed against a requirement to pay a bond of $200,000 to Hastings District Council to ensure they met their commitment to land rehabilitation.
Documents said the bond was unnecessary, did not take into account Higgins' reputation as a long-standing and well-regarded operator, and had not been applied to other similar operations.
Mr Fitzsimons said the measures were "mild restrictions" on the company's operations.
Appealing against the bond raised questions about their commitment to rehabilitating the land, he said. "We have not given up hope of stopping the quarry altogether and this latest move by Higgins will strengthen the resolve of the community to fight the quarry."
A meeting would be held in the New Year for residents to discuss the next steps.
Higgins regional manager Alan Tuck did not wish to comment.