Chief executive Paul Taggart said in a statement to the North Canterbury News that Taggart engaged several air discharge, noise, traffic, flooding, and groundwater experts to prepare and present its applications to the commissioners and considered it had addressed all the environmental and community concerns that were required to allow the consents to be granted.
"Groundwater was highlighted as the main reason for declining our application and with this in mind we may decide to change our strategy and appeal the Commissioners’ decision."
The decision had made the company’s future in Rangiora "uncertain" and some tough decisions now had to be made if it was unable to obtain an alternative local gravel supply at an affordable price.
Taggart said potentially gravel may have to be brought in to the Waimakariri district from Christchurch.
This would require up to 180,000 more heavy traffic movements in and out of Rangiora to supply the equivalent volume of gravel that could have been extracted from the racecourse site.
"Our application would have reduced the impact on the roading network, minimised the carbon footprint by transporting gravel locally, and created more jobs for the town. However the opposite may now happen," Taggart said.
The company was aware gravel from the Ashley River was becoming scarce and decided that the Rangiora Racecourse would be a good option to continue to provide gravel at an affordable price to Rangiora and the surrounding area.
The company considered the local community and environment before making the applications, putting strict conditions on itself to ensure it could continue to work in harmony with local residents and the wider community.
