Reports
11 March 2026
On 16 February 2026, the panel requested advice on avifauna matters.
On 11 March 2026, the panel received this advice.
Avifauna advice – Gerry Kessels (PDF, 460 KB)
13 November 2025
The panel convener directed relevant parties to provide a written response to the matters set out in Minute 2.
Aoraki Environmental Consultancy memo to the panel convener (PDF, 157KB)
Applicant memo to the panel convener (PDF, 14.4 MB)
Department of Conservation memo to panel convenor (PDF, 444 KB)
Environment Canterbury memo to the panel convener (PDF, 359 KB)
Mackenzie District Council memo to the panel convener (PDF, 178 KB)
Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua memo to the panel convener (PDF, 114 KB)
Te Rūnanga o Ngai Tahu memo to the panel convener (PDF, 230 KB)
Te Rūnanga o Waihao and Te Rūnanga o Moeraki memo to the panel convener (PDF, 107 KB)
5 November 2025
Report on Treaty settlements and other obligations
The Ministry for the Environment provided the Fast-track team with a section 18 report on Treaty settlements and other obligations as required under section 49 of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.
Treaty settlements and other obligations (section 18) report (PDF, 1.7 MB)
Request for advice from the Department of Conservation
At the direction of the panel convener, the Fast-track team requested advice from the Department of Conservation under section 51 of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.
Letter to Department of Conservation requesting s51 reports (PDF, 101KB)
Appendix 1 — Minute of the Panel Convener (PDF, 126 KB)
Further information requests
17 June 2026
Minute 19
The expert panel issued Minute 19 regarding responses received from Applicant and landowners of Lot 1 DP 470213.
Minute 19 of the expert panel (PDF, 121 KB)
Landowner's response to Minute 19
Response to minute 19 from the landowners of Lot 1 DP 470213 (PDF, 89KB)
Applicant's response to Minute 19
15 June 2026 – Request for information 15
The panel requested further information from the applicant regarding the comments made by invited parties, in response to the Panel’s Request for Information to those parties on the updated ecology information and conditions provided by the applicant.
Request for information 15 (PDF, 78KB)
12 June 2026 – Request for information 14
The panel requested further information from New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), Mackenzie District Council (MDC) and a neighbour requesting feedback regarding the response from the applicant to RFI 13 and the association with the Renewable Energy Group.
Request for information 14 (PDF, 71KB)
On 18 June 2026, the panel received a response.
Adjacent landowner response (PDF, 292KB)
9 June 2026
Minute 18
The expert panel issued Minute 18 inviting the applicant and the landowners of Lot 1 DP 470213 to discuss whether an agreed approach could be found in regard to a bunding and planting solution.
Minute 18 of the expert panel (PDF, 121KB)
Landowner's response to Minute 18
Response to request for information from the landowners of Lot 1 DP 470213 (PDF, 141KB)
Applicant's response to Minute 18
Far North Solar Farm Limited response to Minute 18 (PDF, 213KB)
Attachment A – Vegetation and bunding details (PDF, 3.5MB)
Attachment B – Far North Solar Farm proposal (PDF, 68KB)
Attachment C – Vegetation and bunding (proposed changes) (PDF, 3.6MB)
Attachment D – Vegetation and bunding (proposed changes) (PDF, 10.6MB)
Request for information 13
The panel requested further information from the applicant regarding a potential conflict between Far North Solar Farms Limited and Renewable Energy Group.
Request for further information 13 (PDF, 869KB)
Response to further information request
A response was received from the applicant on 10 June 2026.
Response to request for information from applicant (PDF, 211KB)
3 June 2026 – Request for information 12
The panel requested further information from multiple parties involved in the application.
Request for further information 12 (PDF, 71KB)
Responses to further information request
Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury)
Canterbury Regional Council response to further information request (PDF, 863KB)
1. Example of compensation quantum linked to risk for bird strike (DOCX, 45KB)
2. Example of compensation quantum linked to risk for bird strike (XLSX, 22KB)
3. Attachment A – Ecology Advice – Bluewattle Ecology March 2026 (PDF, 448KB)
4. Attachment 9B – MDC Conditions from FT website 4 June 2026 – JJ comments (PDF, 480KB)
5. Attachment 9A – ECan Conditions from FT website 4 June 2026 – JJ comments (PDF, 292KB)
6. Attachment 4 – Invertebrate reserve fence design – Chinn 2024 (PDF, 2.2MB)
Department of Conservation
Updated ecological information – comments from Director-General of Conservation (PDF, 503KB)
Appendix A – Flora and Ecosystems comments on updated ecology – Ewans (PDF, 629KB)
Appendix B – Invertebrate comments on update ecology information – Chinn (PDF, 390KB)
Appendix C – Avifauna comments on updated ecology information – O'Donnell (PDF, 288KB)
Environmental Defence Society
Further comments of the Environmental Defence Society Incorporated (PDF, 121KB)
Second supplementary statement of evidence of Susan Walker – terrestrial ecology (PDF, 193KB)
Mackenzie District Council
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Aoraki Environmental Consultancy Limited and Aukaha
18 May 2026 – Request for information 11
The panel requested further information from the applicant.
Request for further information 11 (PDF, 130KB)
Response to further information request
This information was provided on 25 May 2026.
Response to request for information (PDF, 211KB)
18 May 2026 – Request for information 10
The panel requested further information from the applicant.
Request for further information 10 (PDF, 144KB)
Response to further information request
This information was provided on 29 May 2026.
- Response to request for information (PDF, 187 KB)
- Attachment 1 - Dwelling and Construction Site Access Details (PDF, 4 MB)
- Attachment 2 - Landscape Mitigation Plan Response (PDF, 5 MB)
- Attachment 3 - Dust Management Plan Figures (PDF, 2 MB)
- Attachment 4 - Erosion Sediment Control Plan (PDF, 6 MB)
- Attachment 5 - Site Access Entrance Cycle Track (PDF, 1 MB)
- Attachment 6 - Predator Proof Reserve and Lizard Habitat (PDF, 6 MB)
- Attachment 7 - Overall Site Plan (PDF, 1 MB)
- Attachment 8 - Earthworks Plan (PDF, 4 MB)
- Attachment 9A - Standalone Environment Canterbury Conditions (PDF, 299 KB)
- Attachment 9B - Standalone Mackenzie District Council conditions (PDF, 528 KB)
- RFI 10 (PDF, 143 KB)
7 May 2026
The panel requested further information from the adjacent landowners.
Request for further information from adjacent landowners (PDF, 72KB)
Response to further information request
This information was provided on 14 May 2025.
Response to request for further information (PDF, 499KB)
2 April 2026 - Request for information 7
The panel requested further information from the applicant.
Request for information 7 (PDF, 289KB)
Response to further information request
This information was provided by the applicant on 6 May 2026.
Request for information – response from the applicant (PDF, 813KB)
Appendix A view from residence towards access route (PDF, 44MB)
Appendix A View from residence towards access route JPEG version (JPEG, 44MB)
Appendix B contour map and cross-sections of dwelling (PDF, 16MB)
2 April 2026
The panel requested further information from mana whenua.
Request for further information (PDF, 73KB)
Response to further information request from mana whenua
On 17 April 2026, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Aoraki Environmental Consultancy Limited, and Aukaha provided a response to the further information request.
Response to request for further information (PDF, 556KB)
17 March 2026 - Request for information 6
The expert panel requested further information from the applicant.
Request for further information 6 (PDF, 84KB)
Response to further information request
This information was provided by the applicant on 25 March 2026.
Applicant response to further information request (PDF, 2.1MB)
11 March 2026 – Request for information 5
The panel requested further information from the applicant.
Request for further information 5 (PDF, 286KB)
Response to further information request
This information was provided by the applicant on 30 April 2026.
Remaining information
Due to the suspension of the application, the applicant provided additional information in response to the panel's request for information 5 on 29 May 2026.
Updated document
The applicant's original cover letter responding to request for information 5 was superseded on 22 June 2026.
UPDATED response to further information request (PDF, 625KB)
6 March 2026 – Request for information 4
The expert panel requested further information from the applicant and Ngāi Tahu.
Request for information from the applicant (PDF, 96KB)
Response to further information request
This information was provided by the applicant on 9 March 2026 and Ngāi Tahu on 10 March 2026.
Applicant response to further information request (PDF, 531KB)
Ngāi Tahu response to further information request (PDF, 323KB)
2 March 2026 – Minute 7
The expert panel requested the applicant re-draft their conditions.
Minute 7 of the expert panel (PDF, 155KB)
Due to suspension of processing of the application, updated conditions were not provided until 21 April 2026.
The updated conditions can be found on alongside the application documents here.
23 February 2026
The expert panel requested further information from the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
Request for further information from NZTA (PDF, 101KB)
Response to further information request
This information was provided on 24 February 2026.
NZTA further information response (PDF, 915KB)
23 February 2026 - Request for Information 3
The expert panel requested further information from the applicant.
Request for further information 3 (PDF, 94KB)
The applicant provided this information on 23 February 2026
Applicant response to request for information (PDF, 193 KB)
Appendix 1 Draft Avifauna Management Plan (PDF, 2.5 MB)
Appendix 2 Finalized Easement Plan (PDF, 478 KB)
13 February 2026 - Request for Information 2
The expert panel requested further information from the applicant.
Request for further information 2 (PDF, 151KB)
The applicant provided this information on 27 February 2026.
- Applicant response to request for information (PDF, 472 KB)
- Appendix 1 RMM Proposed Landscape Mitigation Plan (PDF, 3 MB)
- Appendix 2 RMM Response Letter Sec6 Landscape Effects (PDF, 1 MB)
- Appendix 3 Response Sec1a FNSF Mana Whenua email correspondence (PDF, 3 MB)
- Appendix 4 Response Sec2a Environment Canterbury email correspondence (PDF, 363 KB)
- Appendix 5 FNSF Response Sec3.2(a) FNSF Earthworks Plan (PDF, 4 MB)
- Appendix 6 Haigh Workman’s Draft ESCP report Sec3.2(b) (PDF, 456 KB)
- Appendix 7 Haigh Workman’s Draft ESCP Plan (PDF, 6 MB)
- Appendix 8 FNSF Module Mounting Structure Cross sectional Drawing (PDF, 923 KB)
- Appendix 9 Section 51(2)(a) concession report from Department of Conservation (PDF, 327 KB)
- Appendix 10 Easement Plan (PDF, 477 KB)
23 January 2026 - Request for information 1
The expert panel requested further information from the applicant.
Request for further information 1 (PDF, 202 KB)
The applicant provided this information in two parts.
Initial information was provided on 9 February 2026 as per Minute 4 of the expert panel.
Remaining information was provided on 23 February 2026 as per Minute 5 of the expert panel.
Initial information – 9 February 2026
- Applicant response to request for information (PDF, 729 KB)
- Appendix 1 – Hazardous substances (PDF, 307 KB)
- Appendix 2 – Transport impact and construction traffic management plan (PDF, 3 MB)
- Appendix 3 – Haigh Workman response (PDF, 358 KB)
- Appendix 4 – Photo simulations (PDF, 3 MB)
- Appendix 5 – Landscape and visual assessment (PDF, 1 MB)
- Appendix 6 – Ecological issues response (PDF, 388 KB)
- Appendix 7 – ECAN email chain (PDF, 921 KB)
- Appendix 8 – DoC email chain (PDF, 414 KB)
- Appendix 9 – Proposed ecological enhancement approach (PDF, 155 KB)
- Appendix 10 – Revegetation area and predator proof reserve (PDF, 5 MB)
- Appendix 11 – WWLA management of effects conditions (PDF, 161 KB)
- Appendix 12 – WWLA amended conditions (PDF, 855 KB)
- Appendix 13 – Wildland vegetation and habitat survey (PDF, 2 MB)
Remaining information – 23 February 2026
- Lizard Management Plan – 6621i (PDF, 15 MB)
- Wildlife Act Approval Checklist – 6621i-a (PDF, 1 MB)
- Avifauna Management Plan – 6621h-i (PDF, 7 MB)
- Invertebrate Management Plan – 6621h-ii (PDF, 2 MB)
- Vegetation Management Plan – 6621h-iii (PDF, 1 MB)
- Pest Mammal Management Plan – 6621h-iv (PDF, 4 MB)
- Vegetation Survey – 6621h-vi (PDF, 15 MB)