INDEPENDENT NEWS

Banks Street site for wastewater treatment plant

Published: Fri 3 Oct 2008 12:53 AM
Wastewater Project Management Group, Gisborne District Council
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release, 2 October 2008
Banks Street site for wastewater treatment plant
Gisborne District Council is to buy a site within the industrial subdivision for the city’s new wastewater treatment plant.
Mayor Meng Foon says the Banks Street site owned by Patrema Holdings, known as the Pacific Haulage site, provides a viable alternative for the treatment plant away from the beachfront. The Stanley Road site, near the beach, was previously the preferred location based on cost alone.
The Mayor said the decision followed hard work by councillors, staff and advisers to find a scheme and site the community could afford.
Affordability concerns initially led to the council considering a site at Stanley Road adjacent to Midway Beach. Reducing the scope of the proposed work has produced further savings. While these moves combined to reduce the project from around $84M to $40M (plus GST), concerns about the location of a treatment plant near the beach were unresolved.
Staff were asked to find a site in the industrial area that kept the benefits of the Stanley Road site but overcame any possible conflict with such a high profile beach location.
“We believe we have a viable, affordable and acceptable alternative to either the high-cost airport location or the high-profile beachfront Stanley Road location,” Mayor Foon said.
“I’d go so far as to say the Banks Street site is our preference. While the cost is a little more than Stanley Road, that cost is more than offset by the opportunity we will have to get our wastewater treatment plant, including the present milliscreening plant, away from the beachfront.”
Council will make a final decision on the site and the reduced scope of the project in November. Part of that decision will be to proceed with any designation and consents the site requires. A variation to the discharge consent for the reduced scope of work will also be necessary.
“Before we decide to formally proceed with a resource consent application to build a plant on the Banks Street site, we need the community’s feedback on all the locations.
“As part of our work on the options, we already have the agreement in principle from the key players on the Wastewater Options Review Group to alter the treatment process to reduce the cost to the community.”
Information on the wastewater scheme will be distributed via the newspaper, Council’s website and through a stand at the upcoming A & P Show.
A telephone survey will be run to gauge public opinion.
“It’s been a difficult process for us all. The preferred site looks like a win-win for all.”
Ends

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