A resource consent hearing will decide whether restoration work on mined land at Earnscleugh, stopped when the gold mine closed last month, can continue.
Thirteen workers out of the 35 staff at L&M Group's Earnscleugh operation remain employed at the site to restore the mined land, but work was stopped following a complaint last month.
Central Otago District Council planning team leader Ann Rodgers said under the mine's resource consent conditions, restoration work which followed mining activity had to be carried out between May 1 and August 31.
The consent banned rehabilitation activity involving overburden or soil being shifted between September 1 and April 30.
After mining stopped on September 19, restorative work continued at the mine. However, all earthworks were stopped following several complaints to the council.
Ms Rodgers said the council had received an application from L&M to change several conditions of consent, to allow restoration work to be done between September 1 and April 30.
The application would come before the council's hearings panel for a decision, she said.
There was no date yet for the hearing.
The reinstatement of McPherson Rd, mined as part of the project, also formed part of the restoration process.
L&M Group chief financial officer Shirley Herridge said restoration work at the site could take up to eight months, but the employment of the remaining 13 staff hinged on the outcome of the resource consent application.
''At the moment, they can't do any rehab work on site so obviously we can only keep them on the payroll for so long.''
An Earnscleugh mine liaison committee was set up in 2009 to monitor the project and work through any issues arising from its operation.
It comprises L & M staff, local authority representatives and Earnscleugh residents.
The committee met earlier this month and independent facilitator Karin Bowen, of Alexandra, said the impact of delaying the land rehabilitation was discussed.
''One committee member noted the community had resisted the mine coming here and now people are resisting the mine leaving,'' she said.
