North Canterbury Locals Get Say Over Huge Solar Farm
The Hurunui District Council has notified a resource consent application from Auckland-based Far North Solar Farm Ltd to build near Waipara, north of Amberley.
At its peak The farm's 250,000 panels would generate up to 144 megawatts, enough to power an estimated 30,000 homes.
The Waipara Residents' Association wrote to the council last year calling for the consent to be notified, and chairperson Steven Ellis says he is pleased the community will have a say.
He says there are a range of views in the community.
''Everyone has their own views one way or the other for different reasons.
''Some can't see a problem and there's others who think it is not a good situation to have a solar farm this close to a village.
''It is obviously going to be something quite substantial.''
Mr Ellis encouraged residents to have a look at the application on the council's website and form their own view on how it might effect them and ''whether it is a good thing for the community or not''.
A group of concerned residents formed Save Waipara Valley last year and set up a website, savewaiparavalley.com.
Save Waipara Valley founder Lizzy Kelsey urged concerned residents to make a submission.
"Such a large-scale industrial development has no place so close to homes, or in our flourishing tourism district," she said.
Among the group's concerns are the potential impacts on the environment, how the solar panels would stand up to ''North Canterbury's notoriously strong winds'', the risks to passing motorists from glare from the panels and the impact on property values.
Hurunui District Council staff have determined ''the adverse effects of the application'' to the landscape and the visual effects are more than minor.
Construction of the solar farm is expected to take around two years.
The proposed solar farm is a joint venture between Far North Solar Farm Ltd, a solar energy asset developer based in Auckland, and Aquila Clean Energy Asia Pacific, a clean energy platform headquartered in Singapore.
Submissions close on Thursday, July 24.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
12 hours ago
- RNZ News
Mediawatch: The politics of PayWave
Photo: 123RF "Can someone get the Beehive a press secretary who can understand a news cycle?" asked the host of Herald Now show Ryan Bridge, opening his show last Tuesday with a bit of a broadside at the government's political management. "Yesterday we had a 10-minute sermon - that's the opposition's words - from Nicola Willis and Christopher Luxon about the cost of living crisis," he said, referring to Monday's post-Cabinet press conference . That was timed for the first anniversary of their tax cuts - so why was that timing so bad? Bridge flourished The Herald 's own front page that day with a scoop about big boosts to the fees that Crown bodies can pay board members. "It's probably the worst headline you could have at a time like this," he spluttered. "Now I'm not saying they don't deserve it, but the timing... come on!" In bad economic times, stuff that looks bad can end up looking a lot worse no matter what day it goes public. The lead story on Herald Now that day also looked like it was timed with optics in mind - banning surcharges on in-store contactless transactions. "Those pesky surcharges on card payments are gone-skis," Bridge declared, echoing the government's own announcement. "Most customers will be very happy to see an end to the horrible little curled up handwritten coffee stain stickers on the EFTPOS machine," Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson told Ryan Bridge. But Bridge was not distracted by the aesthetics of EFTPOS terminals. He wanted to know who would really reap the benefit of the estimated $150 million saved from the surcharges salami-sliced out at stores as things stand. "That will be absorbed into the retail system," the minister said. "Right. Higher prices, in other words?" Bridge asked. "It's not much over the entire New Zealand commercial marketplace," the minister countered. But if so, it would not really cut the cost of living very much at all - and was not really a strong lead story at a time with so much else going on. "We can only pray that Luxon and Willis understand that shifting $90 million from banks to consumers is irrelevant in the context of a $430 billion economy, including the $7.2 billion the banks made in profits last year," columnist Matthew Hooton said in The Herald on Friday. Consumer NZ was not stoked that credit card surcharges applied to online payments were not covered by the ban. "This is disappointing because your flight or accommodation booking or any other online purchases could still attract a surcharge," Consumer NZ said. "Those transactions are generally much more expensive to process because... they have to protect against online scams, online fraud," Nicola Willis told RNZ's First Up . "We've kept them out of the regime for now because part-passing on the charge to the consumer makes more sense there," she added. But banks also deal with that and their charges are regulated - and it is far from transparent now how those costs are covered for online credit card transactions. While the Prime Minister had said on Monday: "You will no longer be penalised for your choice of payment method," media scrutiny this week revealed that users of EFTPOS and cash payers might end up penalised by a ban. "Any transaction where someone pays by swiping or inserting, is free for a retailer. But as people move to contactless... a higher percentage of their transactions will incur a fee," Retail NZ's Carolyn Young told RNZ 's Morning Report . The Commerce Commission recently moved to cap the interchange fees banks charge each other. That was also meant to reduce the cost to retailers. More people now using PayWave could wipe out the other potential benefits. "I think it's really just performative. If we're paywaving everywhere and then the costs are shared across everyone," Dan Brunskill of told RNZ 's Nine to Noon on Tuesday when asked about the PayWave surcharge ban. The same day BusinessDesk pointed out that just 10 days earlier the Commerce Commission had claimed its interchange fee cap would save businesses $90 million a year in payment costs. The Commission [ also said it was already exploring what regulation may be needed to address excessive surcharging, which it estimated at about $45 million to $60 million a year. But Business Desk's headline Government beats Commerce Commission to card surcharge ban showed that in this case, the government might have got its PR timing right to take the credit for reduced credit card payment costs now. The media scrutiny also illuminated another duopolistic aspect of our economy: Visa and MasterCard dominating this payment trade. Alternatives do exist, BusinessDesk tech reporter Peter Griffin pointed out on Wednesday . But he said after the surcharge ban, PayWavers here will be less likely to seek out cheaper solutions if they cannot see they are cheaper. "We should now focus on reducing the underlying costs of payment processing, not simply regulating away the only mechanism for acknowledging those costs. In the world of payments, as in so much else, what's visible on the bill is only the start of the story." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
17 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Dippie steps down as chairman of tourism giant
Outgoing RealNZ chair Martin Dippie. PHOTO: ODT FILES Queenstown-based tourism giant RealNZ is after a new chair. Prominent Otago businessman Martin Dippie's stepping down after three years at the helm — the company owns Queenstown's iconic steamship TSS Earnslaw, Walter Peak Farm, Cardrona and Treble Cone skifields and Milford and Doubtful Sound coaches and cruises, among other attractions. "Three years is a good period for me," he says, having last year also stood down as chair of the Mitre 10 retail cooperative and from the Otago University Council. "I really enjoyed being part of the team, but I'm a busy guy — [it's] amazing how three years went past in a jiffy." Dippie says he's looking forward to having more time for himself — "and we're doing a lot of endurance rallying and our kids are overseas". In 2022, Dippie along with main investor Milford Asset Management, Queenstown's Rod Drury, Jonty Edgar and Brendan Lindsay poured tens of millions of dollars into RealNZ to shore up its balance sheet and allow investment in technology, innovation and sustainability. However the Hutchins family, who founded the company 71 years ago, remained the majority shareholder. Dippie pays special credit to the Hutchins family — "there's not many businesses, particularly family businesses, that can get to that age". He says "the business is in great heart". "I can't speak highly enough about the business and the people — it's a business with a real warm heart." Milford Asset Management's John Johnston's acting chair while the company searches for a new chair, Dippie says. "I think there'll be a queue of very, very capable people." — Philip Chandler
Otago Daily Times
17 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Nominations reflect ‘years of hard work'
The Whitestone Cheese Diner and Deli staff. PHOTO: RACHEL WYBROW PHOTOGRAPHY A trio of Oamaru eateries have been named in a "must-visit" list of the nation's best restaurants all vying for the title of Restaurant of the Year. Well-known food magazine Cuisine has unveiled its much-anticipated Good Food Guide 2025, spotlighting more than 300 of New Zealand's best dining destinations, including Oamaru-based restaurants, Cucina, Riverstone Kitchen and White Stone Cheese Deli & Diner. "We're thrilled about the Cuisine nomination," Whitestone Cheese Co, managing director Simon Berry said. "It's a wonderful accolade for our Deli & Diner team, especially since we've recently improved our breakfast and lunch menus. So, we're very pleased to see that work recognised with this nomination. Bevan Smith from Riverstone Kitchen. PHOTO: EMMA WILLETTS "This is only our second year in operation and we've been nominated by Cuisine each year since we opened. This independent assessment truly shows that our offering is considered among the top hospitality establishments in the region. "It's a fantastic achievement for our entire team, who have all worked together to develop our new dish combinations, that highlight our full cheese range, served with the region's wonderful produce." Cucina co-owner Yanina Tacchini said the restaurant was "truly honoured and grateful" to be nominated again. "It's a recognition that reflects the years of hard work, passion, and dedication our entire team puts into Cucina every single day. Cucina owners Yanina and Pablo Tacchini. PHOTO: ALLIED PRESS FILES "It's heartening to see our efforts acknowledged, especially during times when the narrative around our business hasn't always reflected the full picture or the values we stand by. "We remain focused on delivering excellence and staying true to who we are. Perhaps this nomination serves as a timely reminder that substance and integrity do, in fact, shine through." The Cuisine Good Food Awards, will take place on August 18, and will be presented by American Express, where 20 category winners and over 95 hatted-restaurants will be announced including American Express Restaurant of the Year and Cuisine Chef of the Year. "As always we are thrilled to release our list of the New Zealand restaurants that will be featured in our Cuisine Good Food Guide for 2025," Cuisine owner and editor Kelli Brett says. "Despite the challenges across the hospitality industry we are seeing new openings and it's exciting to see that many are embracing an elevated casual approach that showcases the flavours and hospitable culture of Aotearoa so well."
