Stories by Brendon McMahon

West Coast Mines Rescue has been contracted by the Department of Conservation to monitor the now abandoned Pike River Mine.

Greymouth engineering identity Eddie Gray has exited the engineering firm he helped found 40 years ago to manage a new enterprise to extract 'rare earth' minerals at Cape Foulwind.

Expected legal appeals of the proposed West Coast 'one district plan' and the cost of defending them is worrying West Coast regional councillors.

The West Coast Regional Council made the decision after a warning about the government's plans to change laws affecting councils.

West Coast District Health Board operations manager Philip Wheble said those presenting at the hospital had "quite complex" needs.

Additional orthopaedic operations for West Coast residents have been carried out in private hospitals in Christchurch in the past month, as Greymouth hospital attempts to reduce waiting times…

The proposed $26 million Westport flood scheme will not provide uniform flood protection across the town, a report says.

Preferred options to protect Westport with a new flood protection scheme to ring-fence the township will cost at least $26 million.

Franz Josef farmers are watching helplessly as their land washes away after the government withdrew $12 million for new river protection it promised following a devastating 2019 flood.

The West Coast Regional Council has been warned it risks losing government 'shovel ready' money for urgent infrastructure projects - including new floodwalls at Franz Josef Glacier and Westport -…

A $23 million hard circle embankment option for the proposed Westport flood protection scheme, has been presented to key stakeholders.

A "lot of potential work" is seen necessary to repair and improve stopbanks on the Whanganui River flats near Hari Hari.

Local Government NZ has assured it is working for the interest of West Coast councils on the issue of three waters reform.

The West Coast Regional Council has posted "an unexpectedly large" surplus of $16.6 million in its delayed 2020-21 annual report.

Noise rules in the proposed Te Tai o Poutini Plan for the West Coast will be beefed up, and will include monitoring the Franz Josef Heliport.

Concern about possibly unconsented water take for irrigation in the Grey Valley is being investigated by the West Coast Regional Council.

A raft of possible amendments concerning future land and residential development on the West Coast will go before the Te Tai o Poutini Plan Committee on Tuesday.

A controversial proposal to mine for heavy mineral concentrate at Cape Foulwind on the West Coast has been given the green light.

Implementation of a West Coast pilot for the new health reforms and the arrival of the Māori Health Authority will provide further opportunity to partner with manawhenua on health outcomes to an…

The government needs to step up and address a "cash crisis" hitting rest homes, the West Coast District Health Board says.

The committee coming up with one combined district plan for the West Coast is "being watched" on how it provides for significant natural areas (SNAs) in the proposed Te Tai o Poutini combined district…

Urgent work should start within the month to fix two weak points in Westport's flood defences at a cost of $2.6 million.

A proposed goldmine about 500m from the historic town of Kumara will require affected party sign-off to gain the necessary consent, the West Coast Regional Council says.

Mining provisions in the proposed Te Tai o Poutini Plan have generated the greatest amount of feedback and the widest range of views, planners say.

Areas of highly productive land on the West Coast are being included in the new combined district plan for the region.