Project description

HQL is an open cast hard rock quarry, extracting and processing greywacke type rock which has been in operation since the 1920’s. The rock material is extracted through blasting, ripping, dozing and digging from quarry benches and faces. The material suitable for crushing is then loaded onto trucks and transported to the crushing plant for processing, where the material is crushed to size, and then screened to the required product size. Unsuitable material is either sold for fill or transported to the quarry overburden disposal area.

Excess chip and sand are washed through scrubbers and screens and deposited in the relevant product bins. From there, the product is carted by truck from the bins to yard stockpiles where it is loaded onto trucks for sale. The product is then sold from the stockpile and carted from the site. The current extraction capacity at the quarry based on the demand of the market is up to approximately 800 tonnes of rock per hour. The capacity of the crushing and screening plant is up to 500 tonnes per hour and storage capacity is up to 500 tonnes per hour. The average total stockpile volume at the site is up to 40,000 tonnes.

The quarry site is predominantly defined by steep slopes and terraces at varying elevations. Areas of the quarry site are actively quarried while other areas are not. Due to the steepness of the site, the active areas of the quarry are very dynamic, with internal infrastructure (roads drainage etc.) regularly changing to meet the demand for aggregate production. The stable areas of the site accommodate aggregate processing plant, site and office facilities, the weighbridge, permanent sediment control features and other facilities such as the filter press (used to recycle water from saturated material). These permanent facilities are generally located on the quarry floor in the southern portion of the site.

HQL has proposed to manage sediment laden discharges from areas of earthworks and stormwater via the implementation erosion and sediment controls. these will treat water prior to discharge to the receiving environment.

The receiving environment for stormwater and sediment laden discharges from the quarry operations is the Newlands and Horokiwi Streams which both enter the site from above. Both enter into piped networks within the site and then converge below the site. Below the site the stream channel is open for an approximate 100 m section before passing under SH2 and discharging to the coastal marine area within the Wellington Harbour.  

The application and supporting information describe effects in the receiving environment (freshwater and marine) as more than minor. The assessment of a more than minor effect is in relation to discharges to water (sediment laden discharges from earthworks areas and stormwater).

Through the implementation of better erosion and sediment control measures and practices, the applicant has concluded that effects in the receiving environment will be reduced such that they are no more than minor within the medium term (around 5 years).

5 years following the grant of consent (if consent is granted) HQL is proposing to undertake a residual effects assessment. At this time, in the event that HQL have not reduced effects such that they are no more than minor in the receiving environment, they are proposing to provide environmental compensation which is commensurate to the level of residual adverse effect.

Resource consents

Full details of the application and consents required can be found in the application.

Application documents

Resource consent application, including the Assessment of Environmental Effects report and all supporting information, can be viewed on this page.

Submissions

Any person may make a submission on these applications, but a person who is a trade competitor of the applicant(s) may do so only if that person is directly affected by an effect of the activity to which the applications/notices of requirement relate that—

(a) adversely affects the environment; and

(b) does not relate to trade competition or the effects of trade competition.

You can make a submission by filling in the online form below or by sending a written or electronic submission to Greater Wellington at PO Box 11646, Wellington 6011 or notifications@gw.govt.nz. Alternatively, submissions can be dropped off in person at Greater Wellington offices during office hours.

If you do not use the online form below, the submission must be in the prescribed form which is available from Greater Wellington, please contact us on 0800 496 734 or notifications@gw.govt.nz.

As a submitter, you are legally required to provide a copy of your full submission, including your personal details to the applicant. You must serve a copy of your HQL (the applicant), via email or post, as soon as reasonably practicable after serving your submission on Greater Wellington. 

Please send these to Horokiwi Quarries Limited, PO Box 38037 Wellington Mail Centre, Lower Hutt 5045 NZ, Attn: Matthew Hill or Matthew.Hill@hql.co.nz. If you fill in the online form below, this will happen automatically. If you don’t use the online form, it is your responsibility to provide the applicant with a copy of your submission via email or post.

Your submission may become publicly available if a request for it is made under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.

For guidance on writing a submission, and the submission process, you can refer to the Ministry for the Environment's guidance document.

If you have any questions about the application or submission process, or would like a hard copy of the submission form please contact Environmental Technical Support, Greater Wellington on 0800 496 734 or email notifications@gw.govt.nz

The last day to make submissions on this resource consent application is Wednesday 21 May 2025 at 5:00pm.

Applicant: Horokiwi Quarries Limited

Addresses for service if providing a hard copy or emailed written submission:

Greater Wellington Regional Council (consenting authority): Greater Wellington Regional Council, PO Box 11646, Manners St, Wellington 6142, Attn: Manager, Environmental Regulation, notifications@gw.govt.nz

Horokiwi Quarries Limited, PO Box 38037 Wellington Mail Centre, Lower Hutt 5045 NZ, Attn: Matthew Hill or Matthew Matthew.Hill@hql.co.nz