The fate of a plan to extend Palmers Quarry on Signal Hill is in the hands of a resource consent committee, following a hearing this week.
Both the quarry's management and people opposing the plan argued their cases before Dunedin city councillors Colin Weatherall, Richard Walls and Andrew Noone.
Palmers Quarry applied last month for consent to expand its excavation at its top quarry at Logan Point over the next 40 years.
That would knock the top off a knoll above the original quarry, though the company, Blackhead Quarries, has promised planting to mitigate the changes.
The facility processed up to 260,000 tonnes of rock each year, but Blackhead Quarries has said there was only five years of accessible quality rock left at the top quarry.
Council planner Howard Alchin recommended the committee grant consent for what was a discretionary unrestricted activity under the Resource Management Act.
He suggested a noise management plan be put in place to ensure noise and vibration were reasonable.
Blackhead Quarries gave its evidence first, and general manager Tony Hunter said the aggregate produced was a key to the growth of infrastructure in Dunedin.
There were other sources of aggregate in or near Dunedin, but those often had access problems, and to develop a new quarry would take "at least 10 years and millions of dollars".
Mr Hunter said there had been a suggestion the extension was contrary to agreements during a land swap between the council and the quarry.
But the company had not hidden the fact at the time there was the possibility of the quarry being extended.
Opposing the development, Nicola Holman and other Opoho residents argued there was no indication the company would extend the quarry when land swap took place.
Mrs Holman's submission said the bottom quarry still had significant resources, and pine trees planned for the area were not in keeping with the surrounding landscape.
Other opponents were concerned about noise and dust from the quarry, and the effect on the skyline.
The committee adjourned for a site visit, and would reconvene to deliberate, unless further information was needed.
