bathurst's plan b?

From The Westport "The News"

By Keira Stephenson
"Residents on the outskirts of Waimangaroa may
have coal bins fl ying over their heads on an aerial
ropeway, if Bathurst Resources’ Plan B goes
ahead.
Bathurst was considering moving coal from
Denniston to a processing plant just south of
Waimangaroa via an aerial ropeway, as an alternative
to its Powerhouse Road plan, said two
Waimangaroa/Fairdown residents who asked not
to be named.
Buller Coal Holdings (Bathurst’s subsidiary)
managing director Marianne Rogers and environmental
manager Campbell Robertson had been
canvassing the neighbourhood with Plan B, said
the residents.
Bathurst’s fi rst plan, to site its coal handling
plant and slurry pipe by Powerhouse Road,
gained council consent at a Resource Management
Act hearing last August. It was subsequently
appealed to the Environment Court by the Fairdown-
Whareatea Residents Association.
Bathurst and the association are currently in
mediation.
Bathurst is now considering an alternative - constructing
a ropeway from the old Denniston quarry
to a coal handling facility to be built on a private
farm about 2km south of Waimangaroa.
The two residents said there had been surprise
and concern when the plans had become known
in the neighbourhood. However, Ms Rogers and
Mr Robertson had been very open after the residents
approached them.
One resident said no compensation had been
offered, but Bathurst had assured her any problems
could be addressed.
Before the appeal Bathurst had planned to open
its 200ha opencast coal mine at Denniston this
year.
The West Coast Environment Network and Forest
& Bird are also appealing the coal mine on environmental
grounds.
Bathurst is awaiting approval from the Overseas
Investment Offi ce for its purchase of the Cranberry
New Zealand farm at Fairdown from Development
West Coast. The farm has been rumoured
as another possible location for the coal handling
facility.
Bathurst managing director Hamish Bohannan
has yet to respond to The News’ queries about
Plan B put to him over a week ago."

Link; http://westportnews.co.nz/monday.pdf