Two years of delays caused by legal challenges have ended for West Coast coking coal mine developer Bathurst Resources, the Environment Court yesterday granting resource consents the miner obtained more than two years ago from West Coast councils.
Forest and Bird, at times with support from other environmental groups, committed more than two years ago to protecting through legal challenges the Denniston plateau above Westport from new coal mining activities.
The many challenges, including those through the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, ended yesterday with the Environment Court granting resource consents for the plateau's escarpment mine.
Bathurst shares, which hit $1.70 about two years ago, had been languishing around 17c, but rose to just under 20c after the announcement.
Bathurst's managing director, Hamish Bohannan, said he was pleased to ''finally secure'' the consents, noting it would create jobs on the West Coast and national economic benefits.
''The consent procedure has been transparent and thorough and we welcome this final positive decision. We can now submit the management plans and applications to enable us to commence mining works,'' he said.
Green Party mining spokeswoman Catherine Delahunty was ''deeply disappointed'' that the Denniston plateau ''will be sacrificed for a climate-damaging opencast coal mine''.
''The effects of this mine cannot be mitigated; not when it means the loss of a unique landscape and threatened species,'' she said in a statement.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges welcomed the consents' granting.
''Unlike what opponents might say, this is exactly the type of business investment New Zealand needs to create more jobs and higher incomes for New Zealanders,'' Mr Bridges said.
Bathurst had spent about $300 million to date in acquisitions and development, with only boutique mines providing cashflow. It recently raised $24.9 million from institutional and Australian investors, buoying its flagging cash reserves.
Up to 225 jobs will be created as Bathurst seeks to extract more than 1 million tonnes of export coal per year.
There are estimates of an $85 million annual benefit to the local economy, up to $30 million a year to be gained in taxes and royalties and a $1 billion contribution to the economy over the mine's life.
