Mr Schikker told commissioners Ian Munro (chairman), Jane Sinclair and Jane Taylor he had decided to have the soil tested and found it was "not a great soil type". The proposed development site was bordered by state highways 6 and 84 to the east and south and adjoined the Mt Iron recreational reserve. In his evidence, counsel for Mt Iron Junction Ltd Joshua Leckie said the overall character of the environment around Mt Iron was no longer visually coherent in a rural sense due to the diverse zoning and varying density of development. Mr Schikker told the hearing "the worker accommodation issue was quite dear to me because I am a retailer and I hire staff and it is almost impossible to find accommodation for them". Thirty-six submissions were made on the resource consent application; 25 were in support, five were neutral, and five were opposed.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 14, 2020 15:22 UTC