Invitation for comments
On 21 January 2026, the Point Solar Farm expert panel released Minute 2 recording their decision on which parties were to be invited to comment.
Minute 2 of the expert panel (PDF, 442 KB)
Comments closed on 19 February 2026.
Comments received
- Aoraki Environmental Consultancy (PDF, 1 MB)
- Canterbury Regional Council (PDF, 3 MB)
- Department of Conservation comments (PDF, 833 KB)
- Department of Conservation – Appendix A – Currently known solar farm proposals (PDF, 387 KB)
- Department of Conservation – Appendix B – Flora and Ecosystems (PDF, 181 KB)
- Department of Conservation – Appendix C – Risks to birds of construction and operation (PDF, 616 KB)
- Department of Conservation – Appendix D – Lizard Assessment (PDF, 3 MB)
- Environmental Defense Society comments (PDF, 326 KB)
- Environmental Defense Society – Walker evidence (PDF, 4 MB)
- Forest and Bird comment (PDF, 453 KB)
- Forest and Bird – Appendix A (PDF, 3 MB)
- Forest and Bird – Appendix B (PDF, 670 KB)
- Lodestone Energy comments (PDF, 105 KB)
- Lodestone Energy – Appendix 1 (PDF, 310 KB)
- Mackenizie District Council comments (PDF, 597 KB)
- Mackenizie District Council – Annexure 1 – Landscape (PDF, 244 KB)
- Mackenizie District Council – Annexure 2 – Traffic (PDF, 871 KB)
- Meridian Energy (PDF, 494 KB)
- Minister for Conservation, Minister for Māori Development (PDF, 492 KB)
- Minister for Energy, Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Local Government (PDF, 86 KB)
- Minister for Infrastructure (PDF, 418 KB)
- Minister for the Environment (PDF, 265 KB)
- Minister for the South Island , Minister for Hunting and Fishing (PDF, 214 KB)
- New Zealand Transport Authority (PDF, 706 KB)
- Ngāi Tahi comments (PDF, 299 KB)
- Ngāi Tahi Appendix 1 & 2 (PDF, 219 KB)
- Ngāi Tahi Appendix 3 (PDF, 77 KB)
- Ngāi Tahi Appendix 4 (PDF, 117 KB)
- Ngāi Tahi Appendix 5 (PDF, 109 KB)
- NGL Farms Limited (PDF, 8 MB)
- Te Rūnanga o Moeraki & Te Rūnanga o Waihao (PDF, 620 KB)
- Transpower (PDF, 3 MB)
Adjacent landowner 1 comments (PDF, 3.2MB)
Further comment
Further comment from adjacent landowner 1 (PDF, 2.3MB)
Applicant's response to comments received
On 26 February 2026, the applicant provided their response to comment received.
- Cover letter (PDF, 176 KB)
- Attachment 0 – Index (PDF, 253 KB)
- Attachment 1 – Hydro inundation hazard area map (PDF, 106 KB)
- Attachment 2 – Response to Transpower (PDF, 726 KB)
- Attachment 3 – Transpower email (PDF, 418 KB)
- Attachment 4 – Landscape response (PDF, 562 KB)
- Attachment 5 – Landscape response – Appendix 1 (PDF, 3 MB)
- Attachment 6 – Transport impact and construction traffic management plan (PDF, 3 MB)
- Attachment 7 – Comments from NZTA resolved (PDF, 181 KB)
- Attachment 8 – NZTA submission (PDF, 237 KB)
- Attachment 9 – Easement plan (PDF, 481 KB)
- Attachment 10 – Statement of Evidence – Laila Alkamil (PDF, 383 KB)
- Attachment 11 – response to EDS comments (PDF, 132 KB)
- Attachment 12 – 6621h-vi – Vegetation survey (PDF, 16 MB)
- Attachment 13 – 6621h-i – Avifauna management plan (PDF, 2 MB)
- Attachment 14 – 6621h-ii – Invertebrate management plan (PDF, 20 MB)
- Attachment 15 – 6621h-iii – Vegetation management plan (PDF, 2 MB)
- Attachment 16 – 6621h-iv – Pest mammal management plan (PDF, 4 MB)
- Attachment 17 – 6621i – Lizard management plan (PDF, 28 MB)
- Attachment 18 – Letters to the Ministers (PDF, 219 KB)
- Attachment 19 – Reponse to Mackenzie Distrct Council comments (PDF, 110 KB)
- Attachment 20 – Response to Mana Whenua comments (PDF, 119 KB)
- Attachment 21 – Response to Forest and Bird (PDF, 135 KB)
- Attachment 22 – 6621h-vi – Wildlands response (PDF, 244 KB)
- Attachment 23 – Reponse to Canterbury Regional Council comments (PDF, 208 KB)
- Attachment 24 – Haigh Workman ESCP report (PDF, 460 KB)
- Attachment 25 – Response to Department of Conservation comments (PDF, 100 KB)
Comments received in response to RFI
On 23 February 2026, the Applicant provided further information, in the form of ecological management plans, in response to a request from the panel. This information can be found on the Reports and advice page.
The panel invited comments on the plans from parties who were previously invited to comment on the application under section 53 of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.
On 27 February 2026, the panel received these comments.
- Department of Conservation – comments (PDF, 288 KB)
- Department of Conservation – comments on avifauna management plan (PDF, 106 KB)
- Department of Conservation – comments on invertebrate management plan (PDF, 81 KB)
- Environment Canterbury (PDF, 1 MB)
- Environmental Defense Society (PDF, 488 KB)
- Forest & Bird – comments (PDF, 332 KB)
- Forest & Bird – McClellan evidence (PDF, 311 KB)
- Kā Rūnaka (PDF, 358 KB)
- Te Rūnanga (PDF, 154 KB)
Late comments
On 6 March 2026, the Department of Conservation provided late comments in response to further information provided by the applicant.
Applicant's response to comments made in response to RFI
On 6 March 2026, the applicant responded to comments received in response to the ecological management plans.
- Overview – response to submissions on ecological management plans (PDF, 304 KB)
- Response to submissions on ecological management plans (PDF, 191 KB)
- Updated Avifauna Management Plan – 6621h-i (PDF, 10 MB)
- Updated Invertebrate Management Plan – 6221h-ii (PDF, 21 MB)
- Updated Vegetation Management Plan – 6221h-iii (PDF, 11 MB)
- Updated Pest Mammal Management Plan – 6621h-iv (PDF, 4 MB)
- Updated Lizard Management Plan – 6621h-v (PDF, 35 MB)
- Updated Vegetation and Habitat Surveys – 6621h-vi (PDF, 15 MB)