Lyttelton quake rubble re-use stopped

Under state of emergency powers, which were understood to have been backed by a verbal clearance from Civil Defence, about 100 trucks per day had been dumping material at the eastern end of LPC’s earthquake-damaged Cashin Quay wharf system

However, following objections from environmentalists, an apparent miscommunication has come to light – the port had been given verbal permission to clear material from its damaged wharf but consent to dump Christchurch rubble had been declined.

Confirming dumping had now stopped, Civil Defence national controller John Hamilton said no action would be taken against LPC and the deposited material would not need not to be recovered.

In 2009, LPC applied for consents for reclamation in the Te Awaparahi Bay area as part of an eastwards expansion.

LPC chief executive Peter Davie said the port had requested a hold on the consent process through the Environment Court during the urgent earthquake recovery phase. There had been objections lodged, but the port still believed reclamation eastwards was a good option.