Te Mata Mushrooms fined

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council says it is looking forward to seeing the detail of plans by Te Mata Mushrooms to solve an odour problem at its Havelock North factory.

Te Mata Mushroom Company today pleaded guilty in the Hastings Direct Court to discharging offensive and objectionable odour from its property in Brookvale Road. It has been fined $15,000 and issued an enforcement order directing the company to submit a draft new resource consent application by 1 October, 2016 and a final application by 20 December 2016. The new resource consent application will include conditions that address the odour issues and the manner in which odour will be controlled. The resource consent application will also include ways that the local community and the company will communicate with each other should any problems arise.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Manager of Resource Use, Wayne Wright says the outcome highlights the seriousness of failing to comply with the conditions of a resource consent and the importance of Council perusing a prosecution for the breach.

“HBRC is not in the business of putting people out of business, but as the regulator, it must carefully balance the economic needs of the region, with the rights of local residents to have an enjoyable environment to live in,” says Mr Wright.

“While the odour will not be halted immediately, the new consent application will be notified and the community will have the opportunity to have their say on the issue and have input into the process of granting the new resource consent for Te Mata Mushrooms.”

“We are looking forward to seeing the detail of plans associated with the control of odour at its Brookvale site in line with the enforcement order issued.”

5 May 2016

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