An October 6 announcement from the government has named 149 national and regional development projects to be included in its Fast Track Approvals Bill.
Included in the list are three projects in the Hauraki or Coromandel districts: the Waihī North Project; the Kaimai Wind Farm Project; and the State Highway 25 Pepe Stream Bridge Replacement Project.
The bill, due to be passed into law before the end of the year, aims to establish a streamlined consenting process overseen by several Ministers and a panel of experts, for these and other “projects of significance”. Nearly 27,000 submissions on the bill were received by Parliament, with many citing concerns about the effect many of the projects might have on the environment. The selected projects would be able to apply directly to the Environmental Protection Authority for consent, regional development minister Shane Jones said.
“[They] have significant regional or national benefits. They will make a big difference in the regions by delivering jobs and growth and develop a pipeline of major projects to help boost the economy,” he said in a press release.
The projects were selected from 342 applications, and cover a variety of industries including mining, housing and land development, renewable energy, aquaculture and farming, quarrying and infrastructure.
The Waihī North Project is a proposed mining project by Oceana Gold, operator of the Martha Underground mine in the centre of Waihī. It would include a new underground mine at Wharekirauponga, just north of Waihī; an open pit directly to the west of the company’s current processing plant; an increase in tailings storage to the north and east of existing storage facilities; and an upgrade to the processing plant.
Oceana Gold applied for resource consent from the Hauraki District and Waikato Regional councils in June, 2022, but the application was put on hold as the councils required further information about the project’s potential effects on the local ecology and environment.
“As of now we are still awaiting this information,” a Hauraki District Council (HDC) spokesperson said.
Oceana Gold’s April, 2024 newsletter said it had decided to “pause” its response to the councils while it looked into alternative approval through the Fast Track bill. Further press releases from the company said it welcomed the new bill.
“Development of Wharekirauponga has the potential to contribute significantly to the New Zealand economy, while maintaining a strong focus on environmental and social stewardship,” chief executive Gerard Bond said.
Meanwhile, Kaimai Wind Farm Ltd is also looking into the fast tracking process, although a statement from company owner Glenn Starr noted that its inclusion in the bill was not a guarantee of approval.
“[Listed applicants] still have to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority and the Kaimai Wind Farm Project will be assessed under the bill, once enacted,” he said.
The energy company lodged a resource consent application with HDC in late 2018 for a 1304 hectare, 24-turbine wind farm on the Kaimai ranges south of Paeroa. Nearly 400 public submissions were lodged with the councils over the project, with 253 of them against the project.
HDC said the company had asked for the hearing date to be postponed while it consulted directly with submitters.
The third local project with potential to be fast-tracked, the Pepe Stream Bridge replacement, was announced in July as one of nine significant bridges nationwide to be replaced. Waka Kotahi has been exploring options to replace the ageing bridge with a modern two-lane replacement for several years.
A statement from HDC said the Fast Track bill was a legitimate alternative to its own resourcing consent process, and Oceana Gold and Kaimai Wind Farm Ltd were free to choose either option.
The bill is currently before the Environment Select Committee, with the committee due to report back to Parliament on October 18. It will have its second reading in November.
