Client: Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust

The Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) was gifted a site from the Queenstown Lakes District Council to development site to provide 68 new homes. Historically, the site has been used as a wastewater treatment plant and included two oxidation ponds. Once the oxidation ponds had been decommissioned, the site received capping soils and some disposal of waste to land. Due to these activities being listed on the Ministry for the Environment’s Hazardous Activities and Industries List (HAIL), and the development proposing a change of land use and extensive earthworks, the development triggered the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health.

QLCHT engaged e3Scientific to undertake necessary Preliminary and Detailed Site Investigations and assist with providing solutions for onsite and offsite disposal of contaminated soils. Offsite disposal of soil was made possible with implementing a soil mixing programme which enabled the disposal of soil to the neighbouring Arrowtown Golf Course. Further surplus contaminated soils were managed within the site using encapsulation cells and repurposing of soils within reserve areas.

Working with the QLCHT, survey and earthwork contractors the project allowed for a sustainable and cost effective approach where the disposal of soil to landfill was avoided while providing a residential housing site that is fit for purpose.