By Lee ScanlonBathurst Resources is paying no lease on the land...

By Lee Scanlon
Bathurst Resources is paying no lease on the
land it occupies at Westport Harbour.
Bathurst has occupied part of the wharf near
the harbourmaster’s of? ce since last July, when
contractors began work on a $5 million, 30m by
80m, storage shed.
The shed replaced an existing open storage
area and can hold about 9000 tonnes of coal.
Westport Harbour Ltd (WHL) manager Trish
Casey said Bathurst paid no lease because its
rights to use port land would be covered by joint
venture agreements.
The agreements were still being negotiated
between WHL and Bathurst.
“These agreements are substantially agreed
and just awaiting con? rmation of shipping volumes
and timetabling in order to complete them.”
Mrs Casey said a lease would be appropriate if
the harbour company was handing over control of
land to another party.
“In this situation the land remains under WHL
control with a set of agreements about what the
parties plan to do together in the future.”
Bathurst has previously said it plans to spend
over $20m upgrading Westport port.
The coalminer is gearing up to ship over two
million tonnes of coal a year from Westport if it
receives the green light for its Denniston Escarpment Mine project.
An Environment Court decision is expected
soon.
Bathurst has estimated the Buller project, once
operational, will create 450 direct jobs and 1800
indirect jobs, $90m a year in household income
and $180m a year in royalties and taxes.

From Westports "The News" Tuesday the 12th