Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd was hoping to have a decision from its parent company, Holcim Ltd in Switzerland, later this year after it had been postponed in August.
But yesterday, project manager Ken Cowie said the decision was now not expected before late next year because of the uncertainty resulting from the global economic environment.
"We realise that this creates ongoing uncertainty but we will continue to keep people informed," Mr Cowie said when making the announcement yesterday.
However, the company appreciated the ongoing support of staff, the local communities and other stakeholders for the Weston cement plant proposal, he said.
In the interim, Holcim NZ would keep working on the project. It had called for expressions of interest from contractors to build the plant, which were being evaluated.
Most of the North Otago community was hoping the plant - which would employ about 140 directly and create up to 180 jobs in other sectors servicing the plant - would be approved earlier this year to go ahead, but the Holcim board asked its New Zealand company for more information to consider at a board meeting in August.
Again hopes were high in August for approval, but Holcim announced a decision would not be made until later this year.
If work could have started early next year, it was hoped to commission the plant in 2014.
The postponement for another year because of the global economic downturn reflects events in the 1980s, when Holcim's predecessor, NZ Cement Holdings, first proposed the plant. It was the impact on New Zealand cement demand caused by a 1980s global economic crisis that stopped the plant from proceeding then.
However, the decision has brought a reprieve for the West Coast, which will lose Holcim's Cape Foulwind plant if the Weston project goes ahead.
APNZ reported Buller Mayor Pat McManus had said another delay was great for Buller.
"Every year that we get out of Holcim is a bonus now."
