February 07, 2021
Tank farm ruled out as marae neighbour
Whānau at Whareroa Marae in Mount Manganui are celebrating the decision of an independent commissioner to refuse consent for a jet fuel storage facility next door.
Gina Sweetman ruled the amenity and cultural effects of the Timaru Oil Services tanks on the marae and local community were unacceptable.
Marae spokesperson Joel Ngatuere hopes it will be a turning point for the marae, which has been affected for years by the increasingly industrial nature of its surroundings.
"We're still surrounded by heavy industries that are poisoning our babies and our kaumatua so the government needs to step in and work with the local councils and the industries here to find a way our babies and our kaumatua finally get to breathe clean air," he says.
Timaru Oil Services has 15 working days to appeal the decision
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