Many of the concerns about the proposed expansion of the Bonny Glen landfill near Marton will not be considered as part of its resource consent hearing which begins in Feilding next week.
They include increased truck trips and leaching from the site.
Midwest Disposals Ltd, which operates the landfill near Marton, wants to expand the site and has applied for six resource consents with Horizons Regional Council and the Rangitikei District Council. Concerns were aired by submitters in closed pre-hearings last year, but several of those have been deemed outside the scope of the consent applications.
Pre-hearings were held in Marton on August 26 and September 23, where the 62 submitters and Midwest representatives were able to attend. Submitters questioned the effect on property values in the area, the effect of leachate from the dump on the Marton wastewater system and the effect of increased truck traffic on roading, a report on those hearings by facilitator Bruce Cottrill said.
In response, Horizons and RDC representatives Mark St Clair and Hamish Anderson said those concerns should not be considered by the independent commissioners."