A fight over the future of quarrying on Dunedin landmark Saddle Hill is likely to return to the courts after mediation efforts failed.

This comes as Saddle Views Estate Ltd director and quarry owner Calvin Fisher pushes a plan to return the hill to its ''former glory'' by re-filling it, which he says has attracted little interest from Dunedin City Council.

The likely return to court for the long-running conflict comes after the High Court last year ruled there was a consent for quarrying on the lower hump of Saddle Hill, but asked both parties to reach a consensus on conditions.

However, efforts to come to an agreement appear to have fallen over after two meetings, and council staff have recommended councillors leave it up to the Environment Court to decide on conditions.

Mr Fisher said yesterday he was disappointed at the direction from council staff and the lack of interest in his plan to return the hill to its former glory.

His hope was to continue quarrying the top of the hill and then return it to its ''former glory'' by re-filling it with hard fill.

This was a process used at other quarries around New Zealand, which was paid for by charging people to dump hard fill, such as concrete and brick.

This was a much better situation than leaving the summit of the hill in its current state, which due to historical quarrying was ''totally deformed from what it was''.

''When the council says they care about the hill and don't want to put it back to its former glory ... it's just disingenuous.

The fact he heard a recommendation was being made to the council through the media was typical of the ''abhorrent'' and unfair treatment his company had received.

Here is the original post:
Saddle Hill legal dispute set to continue

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February 17, 2015 at 8:27 pm by Mr HomeBuilder
Category: Landscape Hill