Opposition to Waverley Wind Farm dropped

An appeal against the Waverley Wind Farm project has been withdrawn, leaving the project free to go ahead as planned.

Consent for the 48-turbine wind farm on coastal Waverley farm land was granted in July. It was then appealed by Mike and Angela Connell, who live in Fookes St where a transmission line would cut across their view.

Tilt Renewables owns and operates wind farms in New Zealand and Australia. Its renewable development manager, Clayton Delmarter, said there has been interaction between the appellants, Tararua Wind Power, South Taranaki District Council and the Environment Court.

"It resulted in the appeal being withdrawn – no aspects of the proposed project were altered as a result of this process."

He could not give any details about the process.

Resource consents for the wind farm and the transmission line have now commenced and the company can progress toward construction.

It will decide whether to build based on variables such as New Zealand electricity demand and project economics.

Mr Delmarter saw the project as "a very cost-effective, environmentally appropriate project for the country".

"We will continue to monitor market conditions and ensure we can move on the project at the appropriate time – realistically this could be 18 months plus."

Although the Connells have dropped their appeal, they and Phil and Rosemary Godderidge have two other actions with the Environment Court.

They have asked the court to make a declaration, and if necessary an enforcement order, about the zoning of Fookes and Swinbourne Sts in Waverley.

If the streets had been zoned residential then the transmission line from the wind farm would have had to be buried where it skirts the town, rather than up on poles. Instead they are unzoned.

But the court's decision will have no implications for the wind farm, South Taranaki planner Blair Sutherland said, because it is already consented.