The Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 (FTAA) is a new process for a range of infrastructure, housing and development projects with significant regional or national benefits. It is an alternative process to consenting under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the Ministry for the Environment administer the applications under the FTAA. Other regulatory bodies are also given the opportunity to input into the process, including regional councils; however, council has no decision-making role in the approval process.
Projects can access the fast-track approvals process in two ways: via a referral process and a substantive process.
- An applicant lodges a project for referral with the Ministry for the Environment, which assesses that it complies with the FTAA.
- Compliant applications are then sent to the Minister for Infrastructure, who then decides whether a project can be accepted and ‘referred’ to the fast-track approval process.
- Referred projects can lodge a substantive application with the EPA for an expert panel to consider and decide on final approvals.
- Projects already listed in Schedule 2 of the FTAA could make a substantive application from 7 February 2025. Of the 149 projects listed, 15 are in the Otago region.
An overview of the fast-track process is available here: Process overview | fasttrack.govt.nz.
The EPA handles both the referral and substantive approval processes. Further information is available on the Ministry for the Environment and the EPA websites.
Council has no decision-making role in the approval processes and is considered an affected party.
We do not make any decisions on a fast-track application, but respond to requests for comment on a project at various stages of the FTAA process.
In the referral process, the Minister for Infrastructure considers and makes decisions. In the substantive process, an expert panel is appointed to consider and make decisions.
ORC’s role in the Fast-track process is to:
- Provide pre-application advice to an applicant who must notify us before they lodge their application (referral or listed).
- Respond to invitations to provide advice on applications from the Minister for Infrastructure (referral applications) and the Environmental Protection Authority and expert panels (substantive applications) as required under the FTAA throughout the application process. This advice ranges from completeness checks of an application and recommendations on timeframes to be set for expert panels to determine a proposal, through to adequacy of conditions, compliance with legislative documents and potential environmental effects.
- Handle the various approvals decided by the expert panels, along with other relevant agencies and parties, similar to how consents approved under the RMA are managed.
Consultation and notification
The FTAA requires applicants to provide written notification of their intent to lodge an application (sections 11(1)(b) and 29(1)(aa) of the Act). In response, Council may provide the applicant with a response to the notice not later than 20 working days after receiving it. These notifications can be sent to consent.fasttrack@orc.govt.nz.
While the FTAA states that 20 working days’ notice is required, we strongly recommend that you engage with us sooner, so that we can provide meaningful input into your application. The more work you do with us upfront will likely make it more cost effective and easier for you in the long run and help ensure you submit a quality fast-track application.
Effective pre-application discussions will support applicants to prepare an application that addresses the range of issues, planning provisions, and environmental effects that are relevant to the activity. Identifying and working through as many issues as possible prior to lodging an application will provide increased certainty about the issues that need to be resolved through the formal approval process. This will likely lead to a more efficient and less resource-intensive process once the application has been lodged.
In addition, sufficient information is needed for Council to undertake an assessment of competing applications and existing resource consents (section 30 of the FTAA). An accurate assessment requires Council to fully understand the approvals sought by an applicant prior to the applicant lodging their substantive application.
For more information, see the detailed consultation expectation summary:
To start the pre-application process, fill out our Fast-track consent pre-application form and email it to consent.fasttrack@orc.govt.nz. We will be in touch within five working days.
Our consents team manages all pre-applications for Fast-track approvals; however, representatives from all relevant teams may be present at consultation meetings.
All listed projects and any referral projects that have been approved by the Minister, and are within the Otago region, are outlined in the document below. The status of each project is updated on a monthly basis.
Under section 53 of the Act the expert panel must invite local authorities to comment on substantive applications. ORC's comments on substantive applications can be found below.
Bendigo–Ophir Gold Project: comments
On 11 March 2026, the Bendigo–Ophir Gold Project expert panel released Minute 3 recording their decision on which parties are to be invited to comment.
Mahinerangi Wind Farm: comments
On 2 March 2026 the Mahinerangi expert panel released Minute 3, recording their decision on which parties are to be invited to comment.
Ayrburn Screen Hub: comments
On 19 November 2025, the Ayrburn Screen Hub expert panel released Minute 4 recording their decision on which parties are to be invited to comment.
Homestead Bay: comments
On 29 September 2025, the Homestead expert panel released Minute 2 recording their decision on which parties were to be invited to comment.
Mt Iron Junction Housing Scheme: comments
On 21 May 2026, the Mt Iron Junction Housing Scheme expert panel released Minute 2, recording their decision on which parties are to be invited to comment.
Once a decision has been made by an expert panel on a fast-track application we will include links to the decision documents below.
Homestead Bay: decision
On 16 March 2026, the Otago Regional Council requested that the panel make minor corrections. The panel issued Minute 11 on 16 March 2026, recording its decision on the request for corrections.
Ayrburn Screen Hub: decision
On 14 April 2026, the expert panel granted approvals for the Ayrburn Screen Hub application. The approvals are subject to conditions.
Mahinerangi Wind Farm
On 3 July 2026, the expert panel granted approvals for the Mahinerangi Wind Farm application. The approvals are subject to conditions.
Any person can apply to have projects of regional or national significance considered for Fast-track approval. The Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 (the Act) describes the process, including what projects are eligible and how referral decisions are made. The Minister for Infrastructure decides whether to accept projects for referral to the Fast-track process.
Applicants must provide a general level of detail in their application, sufficient to inform the Minister’s decision on whether to refer the project into the Fast-track process. There are specified criteria for assessing a referral application. For example, the Minister may consider whether a project will increase the supply of housing, address housing needs, or contribute to a well-functioning urban environment.
Depending on the project’s areas or sectors of activity, other approvals may be needed as part of the Fast-track process in addition to a resource consent or a certificate of compliance.
There is a specified form that the applicant must complete, available here: Fast-track Substantive Application Form .
This must include information such as a description of the proposed activity, a description of the site, the type of approval(s) being sought (for example, resource consents and wildlife permits), an assessment of the activity against sections 5, 6 and 7 of the Resource Management Act 1991, and an assessment of the activity against documents such as national environmental standards, the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, a regional policy statement, and other relevant plans and regulations.
Fast-track is a permanent approvals regime for a range of infrastructure, housing, and development projects with significant regional or national benefits. Fast-track is administered by the Environmental Protection Authority.
Council looks at the applicant’s full application which includes a description of the project, a map and description of the site, technical information and reports, and its assessment of environmental effects. Council may also go to the site.
Council also looks at the applicable legislation, policies, plans and other regulations.
In general, no. There is limited opportunity for community involvement because the Act does not allow panels to give public or limited notification for comments.
The panel must invite written comment from some people or groups listed in the Act. Examples of people and organisations invited to comment include:
- relevant local authorities
- relevant iwi authorities
- Treaty settlement entities and the owners of Māori land relevant to a project
- the landowners and occupiers of land where the project is located and the adjacent land, unless they cannot be identified. Guidance: identifying adjacent land (revised May 2025)
- the Minister for the Environment, Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti, Minister for Māori Development, and other relevant portfolio Ministers
- relevant administering agencies including the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment, the Environmental Protection Authority, Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga, the Ministry of Primary Industries, the Department of Conservation, and local authorities
- other relevant groups defined in the Act for specific situations
The Fast-track website is the most useful way to find out more information about an application and its status: https://www.fasttrack.govt.nz/ . This website is hosted by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the Crown entity responsible for Fast-track consenting.
- Freephone: 0800 FASTRK (0800 327 875)
- Overseas callers: +64 4 832 6890 (normal phone charges apply)
- Email: contact@fasttrack.govt.nz
You can also ask Council for information on the process, but most of this information is held by the EPA and you are best to contact them directly. You may also ask your councillor or local MP for assistance.
Council has no decision-making role in the approval processes. Council strongly encourages all applicants to consult with us as early as possible so that we are aware of key technical and environmental matters. In any discussions with an applicant, we raise the need to consider relevant potential environmental impacts.
Council audits and assesses an application, including any technical information and reports provided by the applicant, against Council’s rules and policies in our plans. The audit ensures that key technical and environmental matters have been addressed and that this information is provided to the expert panel and the EPA to inform their decision-making. Council will use internal staff to support this process, and consultants where needed. These audits ensure that up-to-date technical and scientific information has been included in the applications.
You are welcome to reach out to an applicant. The Fast-track website may be the most helpful way to find out more information: https://www.fasttrack.govt.nz/
Sometimes, applicants run community meetings and information sessions, which are advertised in local areas.
We recommend contacting the EPA Fast-track team:
- Freephone: 0800 FASTRK (0800 327 875)
- Overseas callers: +64 4 832 6890 (normal phone charges apply)
- Email: contact@fasttrack.govt.nz
Detailed information and a helpful flowchart diagram can be found on the fasttrack.govt.nz site to help you understand the steps and timing for the fast-track process
Key steps and timings in the Fast-track referral process
To get more information on the full (substantive) application step, head to the Substantive application for resource consents and other approvals section of fasttrack.govt.nz
Substantive application for resource consents and other approvals
