Plans to convert a dairy farm on Catlins land have irked some nearby landowners who claim the development could be bad news for the pristine environment which attracts thousands of tourists every year.
South Coast Dairy Ltd has bought land on the Haldane-Curio Bay road at the Southland end of the Catlins and wants to convert the sheep and beef farm into a dairy operation milking 400 cows.
The company has plans to buy extra land which could eventually see the operation running a 750-strong herd.
Environment Southland is expected to notify the public of the application this weekend but local resident Liz Hodgson has already raised concerns about the move and is encouraging others in the area to fight approval of the dairy operation.
Ms Hodgson and other affected landowners have been approached to sign consent forms for the development.
"We have not signed the forms despite being asked three times by one of the directors as we believe this activity will have a more detrimental effect on the general Porpoise Bay and Curio Bay environment than the current traditional sheep/beef farming operations in the area," she said in a newsletter to media and others yesterday.
The farm's eastern boundary is 1km from Porpoise Bay and its effluent ponds will be about 1.5km from the popular tourist attraction.
Ms Hodgson said she went public with her concerns to encourage as many people as possible to make submissions against the development once it is publicly notified.
Residents and others will have 20 working days to lodge their submissions.
"We urge you to start thinking about the consequences now and the possible effects that this could have on the future for residents and users of the bay, the real locals of the area, the Hector's dolphins and yellow-eyed penguins, the fish and the shellfish, the tourists who visit."
No-one from South Coast Dairy Ltd could be reached for comment yesterday.
