Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull has requested that a letter he signed last year in support of a proposed diatomite mining operation near Middlemarch be set aside.

Mr Cull wrote to the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) in October as part of the OIO’s decision making process around Plaman’s purchase of land for the proposed mining operation.

Mr Cull says that since the letter was submitted, more information had come to light about the scientific value and significance of the site, and concerns about the impact mining would have on that.

“As more information is made available, it becomes clear that there are many unanswered questions, particularly around the degree to which any commercial exploitation of the site is compatible, or not, with preserving its scientific value.

“I have therefore requested that the Overseas Investment Office set aside my previous letter of support at this time.

“This is not to say that I do not support the Plaman proposal, but as more information becomes available this will help answer questions and inform a balanced view,” he says.

Mr Cull has also requested the OIO set aside the signature of DCC Chief Executive Sue Bidrose, who co-signed another support letter written by the Clutha District Council in November 2018.

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