Full Speed Ahead For Fast-Track Projects
Hon Chris Bishop
Minister for Infrastructure
Minister for RMA Reform
Hon Shane Jones
Minister for Regional Development
Today marks four months since the Fast-track Approvals Act opened for project applications.
The projects which have applied for Fast-track approvals could contribute 12,208 new homes and 1,136 new retirement units, if approved.
On Friday, 6 June, associate panel convener Helen Atkins appointed the fourth expert panel to oversee the Milldale project.
It's been four months since the Fast-track Approvals system opened for business and the statistics show strong progress toward making it quicker and easier to build the projects New Zealand needs for economic growth, RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say.
'The Fast-track Approvals Act, part of the coalition agreement between National and NZ First, was signed into law just before Christmas and opened for project applications on 7 February this year. The Act helps cut through the tangle of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that has, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth,' Mr Bishop says.
'The Fast-track Approvals Act contains a list of 149 projects which, from 7 February, have been able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for consideration by an expert panel. The expert panels consider each application, decide whether or not each project receives approval, and attach any necessary conditions to those approvals.
'In the four months since the Fast-track one-stop shop approvals regime officially opened for project applications, we've seen good progress on a range of applications for projects that, if approved, will grow New Zealand's economy and sort out our infrastructure deficit, housing crisis, and energy shortage, instead of tying essential projects up in knots for years at a time.
'As of this week, 15 substantive applications for listed projects have been lodged and found complete and within scope by the EPA. Of these, twelve applications have no competing applications or existing resource consents; two applications are undergoing checks for competing applications or existing resource consents; and one application was found to have an existing resource consent and can therefore not proceed any further through Fast-track.
'Eight of the 12 complete applications that are complete, within scope and with no competing applications or existing resource consents are being considered by the panel convenor who will soon establish expert panels for each project.
'Three are currently before expert panels for consideration, with a fourth expert panel being appointed on 6 June. These four projects are Delmore (residential subdivision and roading interchange in Orewa), (Maitahi Village (residential development including commercial centre and a retirement village in Nelson), Bledisloe North Wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension (new and extended wharf facilities at Port of Auckland), Milldale (earthworks and site work for approximately 1,100 residential allotments).
'The first expert panels' final decisions are expected in mid-September this year.
'Projects not listed in the Act can also apply for referral to an expert panel through the same Fast-track website. Their applications go first to me as Infrastructure Minister for consideration, which includes inviting written comments from the Minister for the Environment and any other Ministers with relevant portfolios, before the deciding whether to refer the project for Fast-track.
'To date I have referred three projects to the Fast-track process, meaning they can now submit substantive applications to the EPA. These three projects are the Ayrburn Screen Hub (a film and television production facility) in Otago; Ashbourne (a development of 530 homes and 250 retirement units) in Waikato; and the Grampians Solar Project (a solar farm expected to generate 300 megawatts) in Canterbury.'
'As well as delivering a strong pipeline of projects into the future, Fast-track is well on track to deliver a much boost to the economy now, with up to 17 projects whose applications are underway expected to commence this year, if approved. This will be welcome news for the construction sector,' Mr Jones says.
'The projects that have applied for Fast-track approvals to date would contribute an additional 12,208 new homes across the Auckland, Nelson and Otago regions, and an additional 1,136 new retirement units in Auckland and Nelson.'
Notes:
In Fast-track's first four months there have been:
Referral Applications
· 3 projects referred by the Minister for Infrastructure – (can now apply for a substantive application):
Ashbourne
Ayrburn Screen Hub
Grampians Solar Project
Substantive Applications
15 substantive applications found to be complete, of those:
1 application found to have an existing resource consent – can no longer proceed
2 applications currently undergoing checks for competing applications / existing resource consents
12 projects found to be complete without competing applications or existing resource consents (all those that have gone to the Panel Convener prior to expert panel)
With EPA for completeness, competing applications or existing resource consent checks:
Kings Quarry
Rangitoopuni
12 applications have gone to the Panel Convener, of those:
8 are with the panel convener to establish an expert panel
4 projects currently before expert panels, or have an expert panel appointed (have gone from the panel convener to the expert panel)
With Panel Convener:
Taranaki VTM
Ryans Road
Stella Passage
Tekapo Power Scheme
Waihi North
Drury
Sunfield
Drury Quarry
Expert Panels appointed for:
Delmore
Maitahi
Bledisloe
Milldale
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