Christchurch residents living near an earthquake demolition dump site say they want to leave after consent for another five years was granted for the landfill.
The Burwood Resource Recovery Park was opened under emergency powers after the first earthquake struck in September 2010.
Since then 350,000 tonnes of rubble has been dumped at the site, turning a quiet neighbourhood into one of the busiest truck crossings in the city.
The council said it had to deal with an "unprecedented" level of waste and granted consent for the continuing use of the landfill yesterday.
"The noise is incredible, trucks slowing down as they come past our property, the dust, the flashing lights - and that's all day every day seven days a week," Phoebe Thompson told ONE News.
Up to 1000 trucks drive through the area every day, and another 150,000 tonnes of waste is expected to be dumped there as the rebuild continues.
"How could we go through this for another five years? We haven't had a good night's sleep for two years," Thompson said.
"We're certainly at breaking point - we want to go, we don't want to live here any more."
In granting the consent the council imposed speed limits, time restrictions and site regulations including re-routing the main road, but it admits that offers little respite.
"I wouldn't like to live in one of those homes," Christchurch City Council Water and Waste Manager Mark Christison said.
"I have to be honest about that and I come from the east side of the city. It has been very difficult for them and they have been very tolerant and it's time for us to do what we can to give them as much of their lives back."
A four-metre fence will be built around the site to cancel out the noise, and Christison said the council will do all it can to reduce the other effects of the continued use of the dump.
A liaison group made up of residents and the site operator will be established to discuss any issues, while a community meeting has been arranged for next month.