A controversial proposal for a mineral sands mine at Barrytown on the West Coast is being examined in detail once again.
A previous bid was rejected two years ago, with some locals strongly opposed due to concerns about the environmental impact and safety of their road. But many coasters welcome the idea of new job opportunities and investment in the area.
Independent Commissioners have heard dozens of submissions, both for and against the revised application to extract mineral sands from Barrytown Flat, but a group of locals called The Coast Road resilience group is strongly opposed. Suzanne Hills said: “The majority of Coast Road residents are fiercely opposed to this mine going ahead.”
She lives on the road, classed as one of the top 10 coastal roads in the world, and said, “it’s potentially a very dangerous road if we have hundreds of heavy trucks hurtling down this road".
She described it as narrow, eroding in places, and very windy with hair-pin turns.
There’s also concern about a threatened bird, that only breeds on the Barrytown Flats. “We have a global celebrity that lives here and that is the one and only treasured Westland petrel."
The mining company, Tiga has committed to protecting the taiko, saying mining would take place in four discreet areas over a 15-year period.
Grey District Mayor Tania Gibson said: ““It does really work well for us if it is going to happen and there is always the naysayers or people who are concerned… There's about 50 potential jobs for that area and a lot of those concerns can be mitigated.”
Economic analysis from Tiga Minerals and Metals predicted a 46% increase to Grey District exports, $33.7 million of additional GDP once fully operational, and 80 additional jobs in the wider community.
However, Hills said:“As a society, are we willing to boost GDP and the personal wealth of some individuals at the expense of our personal wellbeing?"
The hearing resumes next week, before the future of the Barrytown Flats is decided.
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