West Coast businessman Mackley Ferguson says he is relieved that DOC has at last granted him access to re-open the old Sugarloaf quarry in South Westland.

In 2018, Mr Ferguson’s company Kokiri Lime began applying for a concession over stewardship conservation land to access the former Ministry of Works quarry at Karangarua, south of Fox Glacier.

The disused quarry is one of only two on the Coast that can supply the type of armour grade rock needed for critical flood protection projects.

But it is sited on the edge of the Te Wahipounamu -South New Zealand World Heritage Area, and conservation groups were opposed to the concession.

The approval announced this week by DOC is for a greatly reduced area.

“We wanted 15 hectares, and we got one,” Mr Ferguson said.

But the company had settled for that for practical reasons.

“The reason is, it wasn’t going anywhere and after five years I had to draw a line. It was probably going to be declined and then I would have to go to judicial review, so I had to make a commercial decision.

“And that decision was to try and make it work to the best of our ability,and I think we can still do that.”

A lot depended on the future demand for rock in South Westland, Mr Ferguson said.

Demand fluctuated, and his company had already missed out on valuable contracts let by the West Coast Regional Council for stopbanks at Franz Josef because of the delay.

“We put in a bid in for first stage in 2022, and we were successful on price, but we got declined on that because we didn’t have the access arrangement with DOC . But we were actually the cheapest. That was big job for us.”

A bid to supply rock for the present tranche of work at Franz had also failed for the same reason, Mr Ferguson said.

“We put a bid in on the Stage Two stuff just to be seen to be pricing, but we were unsuccessful because we still didn’t have the DOC access agreement. The timing has been horrible for us - absolutely horrible. “

There was no point dwelling on the missed contracts, Mr Ferguson said.

“We just have to move forward – it’s the best outcome for everyone really – probably better for DOC - but I just have to try to make that work now.

“We’re still waiting for final paperwork, but what this will do is substantially increase competition in South Westland – there’s a dire need for armour grade protection rock and that’s what it’s been about all along."

Mr Ferguson said he was grateful to the iwi (Ngati Mahaki) for backing the quarry proposal.

“Makaawhio (runanga) has been fantastic – they’ve been really vocal and hugely supportive.”

His company was not the only one that had waited years for consent for projects the region needed, Mr Ferguson said.

“The Waitaha power scheme guys - how long have they been waiting? Everyone is losing confidence and that’s the biggest kicker. People get frustrated.

“I’m a risk taker, but it doesn’t make you want to do anything in the future, does it? It’s a horrible game at the moment, but you just have to go through it."

DOC’s acting Director General Stephanie Rowe she was confident the quarry would not compromise the natural heritage of the area.

The operator would have to mitigate any landscape effects and protect local wildlife, she said.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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