Property Insider: Fast-track approvals see 14 major projects pushed through under coalition scheme

Fourteen projects won fast-track approval this year alone. This system appears to be a big win for the coalition Government, resulting in national benefits, although criticism continues.

From wind farms to a new South Auckland housing estate, from a Waikato structural steel plant to upgrading a Bay of Plenty highway, retirement villages, solar and hydroelectric projects – fast-tracking is itself moving at pace this year as the projects roll in.

So far, 14 new schemes have been announced as part of the Fast-track Approvals Act since February 19.

They are all large and significant in terms of new construction and infrastructure.

Is this policy a big win for this Government?

The coalition Government’s scheme to cut objections and speed consenting for projects that are nationally significant began last February 7.

The aim is to make it quicker and easier to build the projects New Zealand needs to grow our economy, Infrastructure and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say.

Developers are welcoming the scheme, with one saying it cuts so much red tape from what he is trying to do and gives more certainty about outcomes.

“It does take months, but it’s not the years it once was,” one said.

Reactions for and against

Graham Wilkinson of retirement giant Generus praised the fast-track process.

“Generally, it is a logical and more efficient consenting pathway where projects are large and there is the potential for parties not directly involved to frustrate them,” Wilkinson said.

“The obvious concern was that important environmental aspects may be overridden, but some projects have been rejected by their panel, suggesting fast-track is not a guaranteed outcome.

“The fee structure of around $500,000 also means that frivolous projects are unlikely.”

His project The Point, which aims to rebuild retirement village housing at Ōrākei, is in the fast-track process.

But some locals in areas affected are not leaping for joy.

“We’re getting all these new houses and a retirement village, yet the existing road network and infrastructure can’t cope. It will just make everything worse,” an Auckland resident said.

Alan McDonald, head of advocacy and strategy at the Employers and Manufacturers Association, says the fast-track process is enabling new critical infrastructure to be developed.

But some hold-ups had occurred even with fast-track, he said, citing Port of Tauranga relodging an application under the act for its proposed Stella Passage development.

That follows legislative amendments in December that corrected an error in how the project was described in the act’s schedule.

McDonald says replacement of the Resource Management Act (RMA) before the election could usurp fast-track.

“In theory, if the new RMA works as well as we would like, you may not need fast-track legislation.

“But I think the current Government wants to keep it in place as an additional tool in the box to more quickly approve nationally critical infrastructure projects.”

Wynyard Quarter resident Richard Greissman is not a fast-track fan.

He opposes Precinct Properties and Orams’ three-tower apartment development plans at 188 Beaumont St. He and others in a Madden St block opposite the site fear loss of views and shading.

He cited a Ministry for the Environment report that recommended against approving that application.

Yet the scheme won approval, and that left him disappointed.

Auckland Council also opposed fast-tracking when it was proposed, citing insufficient evidence and poor consultation processes.

Last August, up to 100 protesters confronted Resources Minister Shane Jones in Whangārei over two fast-track projects: a 250-berth marina at isolated Waipiro Bay, near Russell and a large-scale, offshore sand-mining proposal near Bream Bay.

Hamish Firth, a director of planners Mt Hobson Group, says his business has been involved in all three fast-track systems run by the state, starting with the Covid scheme.

“We think it’s a fantastic process which deals with large projects in a faster and more efficient way. It’s the certainty that comes in a shorter period of time that appeals.

“Often, council officers are inexperienced or ideological and that results in uncertainty for developers and infrastructure providers.”

Fast-track schemes Mt Hobson Group has worked on include 94 Feet’s Te Taumata at Queenstown, a 120-lot housing development on the Kāpiti Coast and a 12-level Auckland residential development.

Schemes listed

Significant property developments have this year been listed on the fast-track site, and are likely to result in the development of billions of dollars of new schemes.

The 14 schemes fast-tracked so far this year are:

By the numbers

A joint May 15 statement from Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones gave fast-track numbers as:

Fast-track projects approved by expert panels:

Expert panels have been appointed for:

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 26 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.