An Otago Regional Council spokesman said the council had booked the Dunedin Centre for two weeks from May 16, with a different venue available for a third week of hearings if necessary.
The panel of independent decision-makers had also been selected, the spokesman said.
In total, 147 submitters indicated through submissions that they wanted to be heard, and now that the hearing date and venue had been confirmed, the ORC had asked them to confirm by the beginning of March whether they would attend the hearings, he said.
The overwhelming majority of 283 submitters opposed the DCC’s consent application for the proposed landfill near Brighton last year — two submissions were in support, nine were neutral and 272 opposed.
The effect a landfill would have on Otokia Creek and its estuary at Brighton Beach, its impact on the broader environment, a lack of communication with the community, and aviation safety at nearby Dunedin Airport were among the concerns raised.
When the DCC lodged its application in 2020, it said with the city’s Green Island landfill nearing capacity, detailed investigations had been carried out over the past two years to assess whether the Smooth Hill site was an appropriate site for a modern landfill.
That work had concluded Smooth Hill was suitable and on that basis the consent application was lodged with the ORC.
While Dunedin aimed to be a zero waste city, and the DCC encouraged waste reduction and recycling, the city would need a way to dispose of waste for many years to come, the DCC said.
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Those opposed to the Smooth Hill proposed landfill can relax, I predict it won't go ahead. Why? Hor these reasons: Firstly, the DCC don't have the tens off millions of dollars to build it, or the time to do so before Green island landfill has reached its consent capacity. Secondly, why have they asked for submissions on building a new transfer station, recycling plant, house whole food waste composting facility as part of the upcoming city's rubbish collections tender, a cost all to be paid for by the ratepayer. Another DCC decision kept from the public.
They will in the end tell the public they couldn't get the consent to proceed with Smooth Hill and blame the ORC to save face. What they intended to do all along was to send daily, multiple truck and trailer loads of Dunedin rubbish to the landfill in Winton; this is why DCC staff asked to investigate this option, after the DCC said it's not ethical to be sending this city's rubbish to be disposed of at another province.
Lastly, enjoy having your new household wheelie bins festering away for two weeks before being collected and equally more so your household food scraps.