Four appeals have been lodged with the Environment Court over the granting of resource consents for a $200 million cement plant in the Waiareka Valley near Weston.
However, if a full hearing goes ahead it is unlikely to occur until later in the second half of this year.
The appeals have been lodged by Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd - which wants to build the plant - the Waiareka Valley Preservation Society, Kakanui River Watch Society and Island Stream resident Clive Blunden.
The two societies and Mr Blunden oppose the grant of resource consents by the Otago Regional and Waitaki District councils in February.
Holcim supports the granting of consents to build and operate the cement, a sand quarry at Windsor and open-cast coal mine at Ngapara, but wants to clarify the meaning of a number of conditions, amend the detail in some conditions and correct some minor typographical mistakes.
Holcim's appeal has drawn the ire of the Green Party.
Green Party MP Metiria Turei was disappointed Holcim was appealing, given what she termed was the ‘‘massive public opposition to the plant in the first place''.
Conditions placed on Holcim's consent were necessarily stringent, given the impacts the plant would have on the local area, she said.
‘‘The locals are very aware of their vulnerability to a one million tonne plant with an open cast coal mine,'' Mrs Turei said.
The factory could emit up to 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year in addition to mercury, dioxins and sulphur dioxide from the manufacturing process, she said.
Careful conditions were critical to protect the community and the environment from the plant's expected pollutants.
The decision to proceed with an appeal also added to the uncertainty of the workers at the existing Holcim plant in Westport.
‘‘They are already facing an unclear future if this new factory goes ahead. Many of those workers will lose their jobs,'' Mrs Turei said.
A spokesman for the Environment Court said the four appellants had been offered court-assisted mediation.
Judge Jon Jackson would hold a pre-hearing conference in Oamaru, at a date yet to be set.
That conference would consider any progress if mediation took place and a timetable leading to a full hearing, if one was needed.
Judge Jackson would hear the appeal, along with at least two commissioners.
