More digging at the Drury quarry

The Stevenson Group is applying to use more of its land for quarrying, citing increasing demand for aggregate, writes Maurice Smyth
Closure of the Drury aggregate quarry could cost the district up to $50 million a year, Stevenson Group managing director John Rae told a Papakura Business Breakfast audience recently. Questioned on such a likelihood by The Aucklander, he says: ''We could come under threat at any time because Nimby (not in my back yard) is alive and well in New Zealand.'' Hosted by the District Council, a strong turnout at the breakfast heard that the company had applied to the council for a change of regime on the adjoining Sutton Block. The block was acquired as part of an 800ha buffer zone around the quarry, and extraction work will not start for some years. ''As the population increases, so will the demand for more aggregate. Drury is recognised as the country's leading quarry, a lifeline for Auckland's development,'' says Mr Rae. Noise and road usage are any quarry's main problems and Stevenson have planted 10,000 trees as a noise shield. The council is expected to publicly notify the application later this month and call for public and business submissions.