New recycling depot site rubbished

The location of a new recycling depot - behind a pub and across the road from a community hall - has been raising eyebrows in the Bay of Islands.
East West Waste won the council contract to operate transfer stations in the southern half of the Far North district from October 1.
At the same time, it started up a private kerbside rubbish and recycling collection service, in competition with Kaikohe-based Waste Works.
The company has set up its truck depot and recycling centre in the former Turners and Growers building, directly behind the Pioneer Restaurant and Bar in Waipapa. That location was a hot topic at a Far North District Council meeting earlier this month, with Cr Ann Court saying that having a recycling depot in the middle of Waipapa was causing "huge upset".
"But because the land is zoned industrial they can set up there as of right, and there's nothing anyone can do about it ... There's something inherently wrong when a company can break glass and sort recycling sandwiched between the Pioneer, a dairy and a hall."
Cr Court said the company had not broken any rules - rather, it was the council's processes that were wrong.
The council's Kerikeri-Waipapa Structure Plan would eventually stop commercial and industrial development in inappropriate places, but as yet it had no legal teeth.
Cr Court hoped the plan would get some clout later this year.
Meanwhile, Pioneer proprietor Ross Henry said he was surprised when he found out who was moving in next door - and that a resource consent was not necessary.
Mr Henry was concerned outdoor diners could be subjected to smells and noise in summer, or that vermin could be attracted to the site.
Parking once available to day-time patrons was taken up by East West Waste workers.
He had since spoken with the manager at East West Waste and was monitoring the situation.
The Advocate's inquiries were referred to Australian-owned Transpacific Industries (TPI) in Auckland, where northern regional manager Kevin Bonniface said the Waipapa site was an operating depot for truck parking and consolidating recyclables.
The actual sorting of recycled material was done on the trucks; refuse was handled elsewhere.
TPI had not received any direct complaints and was not anticipating any issues with its neighbours.
"TPI has a site management plan in place to mitigate any potential issues and ensure that it maintains good relations with its neighbours," he said.