Marsden B hearing adjourned

Opponents of a plan to fire up Marsden B power station in Northland using coal will have to wait two weeks to make their feelings known to the hearings committee considering the proposal.

The resource consent hearing into plans by Mighty River Power to refire Marsden B has been adjourned while the company provides the hearing commissioners with more information.

Mighty River concluded nearly two weeks of submissions supporting its application last week, before chairman Peter Salmon, a retired high court judge, independent commissioner Gary Venus, Whangarei District Council appointee David Hill, and air quality expert Mark Goldstone.

Mighty River Power has applied to the district council and Northland Regional Council for 11 consents to convert the unused oil-fired Marsden B station at Ruakaka to a coal-fired station.

The hearing has been adjourned to July 25 to give Mighty River time to provide further information, including landscaping plans looking at the site from the sea.

The commissioners also want time to consider proposed changes to consent conditions Mighty River has suggested. Staff from the two councils are working on the suggestions.

Opponents of the plan will start speaking on their submissions on July 26, with environmental group Greenpeace set to give evidence first, followed by the New Zealand Refining Company.

A then-record 4000-plus submissions were received on the Marsden B plan, with almost 95 per cent opposing it.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)