Odorous Bromley organics plant may be moved after years of complaints

The organics processing plant site in Bromley. Photo / Supplied

Christchurch city councillors will consider looking for a new site for the city's pungent organics processing plant.

A report recommending the city council look for a new site to locate the controversial Bromley plant will be considered by the mayor and councillors at a meeting tomorrow.

But it could take up to six years to move the foul-smelling composting facility, Stuff has reported.

The plant in Metro Place is run by Living Earth and owned by the city council. It turns about 50,000 tonnes of organic waste from the city's kerbside green wheelie bins into compost each year.

But ongoing complaints about the odour from the plant have led the city council to investigate moving it.

Frustrated Bromley residents say they're dismayed by the prospect of another six years living with the stench from the plant.

Residents have been pleading with the council for years to do something about the smell.

But the odour has got worse since the neighbouring wastewater plant was damaged in a fire last November. Residents have described the stench as rotten, pungent and very unpleasant.

In March last year, Environment Canterbury gave the city council until January to stop the offensive odour lingering beyond the controversial plant.

ECan served the city council with an abatement notice to stop the "offensive and objectionable" discharge by January 31.

The council's finance and performance committee will tomorrow consider agreeing in principle to relocate the organics processing operation to an alternative site.

The report says preliminary investigations show "feasible and viable alternatives" to the current location. It recommends the council approach the market for options for organics processing at a new location.

"There may be an opportunity to secure external investment, through a partnership approach," the report stated.

Read the full report here and live-stream the meeting on Thursday here.

- Star News with additional reporting from RNZ