The West Coast Regional Council will now focus on compliance and monitoring of the resource consent conditions. Photo: Joppi/ 123rf
Consent has been granted for a new sand mine near Hokitika.
An independent panel of commissioners unanimously approved consent for Westland Mineral Sands' mineral sand ore extraction at the Mananui mine for 16 years.
The site is about eight kilometres from Hokitika and will cover 112 hectares.
The West Coast Regional Council said the panel's decision concluded the formal consent application process on behalf of the company, and the council would now focus on compliance and monitoring of the resource consent conditions.
The panel was selected by the regional council and Westland District Council.
In 2023, Gene Wilson, who lives across the road from the site, told RNZ he was concerned about noise, dust, light pollution, water quality and truck movements.
Other neighbours said they did not oppose mining, but had concerns about its potential impact and the loss of tranquillity in the small, peaceful town.
Westland Mineral Sands also has a sandmine at Cape Foulwind, near Westport.
A petition was launched against the Cape Foulwind mine in 2021, while others appealed the resource consent conditions at the Environment Court.
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