Draft decision and conditions
On 9 March 2026, the Southland Wind Farm expert panel issued Minute 9 releasing its draft decision and conditions.
The panel proposes to grant the approvals sought in this application.
Minute 9 of the expert panel (PDF, 125KB)
Southland Wind Farm Draft Decision (PDF, 1.9MB)
Appendix B – Draft Resource Consent Conditions (PDF, 971KB)
Appendix C – Consent Attachments (PDF, 22.9MB)
Appendix D – Draft Concession (PDF, 616KB)
Appendix E – Draft Wildlife Approval (PDF, 474KB)
Appendix F – Draft Archaeological Authority (PDF, 481KB)
Appendix G – Draft Freshwater Fisheries Dispensation (PDF, 769KB)
Under section 70 of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 (the Act), an expert panel must invite comments on the draft conditions from:
the applicant
every person or group that provided comments under section 35 or 53
any local authority or other body with a statutory responsibility to enforce or monitor compliance with the conditions.
The panel must also issue the panel’s draft decision document for each approval in accordance with section 70(2)(b).
The panel set a deadline of 23 March 2026 for receiving these responses.
The panel also set a deadline of 30 March 2026 for the Applicant to respond to comments received under section 70.
Under section 72 of the Act, an expert panel must also invite comments on the draft decision, including any draft conditions, from:
the Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti
the Minister for Māori Development.
The panel set a deadline of 23 March 2026 for receiving this response.
Comments received on draft conditions
- Southland Conservation Board (PDF, 255 KB)
- Te Ao Mārama Incorporated (PDF, 456 KB)
- Gore District Council (PDF, 214 KB)
- Environment Southland (PDF, 587 KB)
- Southland District Council (PDF, 88 KB)
- Environmental Defence Society (PDF, 171 KB)
- Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (PDF, 671 KB)
- Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – Appendix A – Draft Archaeological Authority (tracked changes) (DOCX, 1 MB)
- West Catlins Preservation Society (PDF, 208 KB)
- West Catlins Preservation Society – Appendix A – Comments on draft conditions (tracked changes) (DOCX, 6 MB)
- Minister for Rural Communities (PDF, 331 KB)
- Department of Conservation (PDF, 4 MB)
Comments received from the applicant
Late comments received
The expert panel received two comments outside of the timeframe set for comments to be received under sections 70 and 72. The expert panel directed that these comments be accepted for consideration.
Applicant's response to comments received on draft conditions
Memorandum of counsel for Contact – Applicant response to comments on draft conditions (PDF, 143KB)
Appendix 1 – Contact's response to comments on conditions (PDF, 308KB)