The Dunedin City Council is stepping up its investigation of an historic landfill under Kettle Park as part of the comprehensive and long term St Clair – St Kilda Coastal Plan.

DCC General Manager Infrastructure and Development Simon Drew says the results of a recent study by Tonkin+Taylor provides important information about the historic landfill site, which operated next to Ocean Beach until the early 1950s.

The study also helps to inform the DCC’s next steps and response. Work on this is already underway, Mr Drew says.

“We’ve been monitoring this site and taking steps to protect it from coastal erosion in recent years, and we are well placed to respond should another significant weather event threaten this winter.

“Our work has given us time to thoroughly investigate the site, and the latest test results just underscore how important it is to plan this project carefully and get it right.

“We now know more about the contents of the landfill – including asbestos, old gasworks waste and demolition waste.

“We also now know the site is both bigger than we thought and closer to the sea.

The DCC will now seek more targeted investigations focused on the dune face, to better inform how to manage that area, Mr Drew says.

“This work will help us identify any other short-term management options needed to protect the dunes, as part of ongoing implementation of the St Clair-St Kilda Coastal Plan.

Options and timeframes for erosion mitigation and dune remediation work, as well as the approach across the wider landfill site, will be considered by Councillors as part of the 2024-2034 10 year plan.

© Scoop Media