Meridian Energy proposed to construct and operate a 33-turbine wind farm on privately-owned farmland in North Canterbury. Located between Omihi and Greta Valley, the $200M Hurunui Wind Farm would provide the same amount of additional electricity as used by about 33,000 homes, making a meaningful contribution to power supply in the upper South Island.
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2009 - 2012
Boffa Miskell carried out terrestrial and aquatic assessments, including avian surveys, for the assessment of effects.
Our planners led the preparation of the assessment of effects on the environment informing the resource consent application. We were also involved in public and stakeholder engagement, including public consultation meetings and open days.
Like many wind farms, the Hurunui location is visually prominent and located close to several inland and coastal settlements and rural properties. Unmitigable adverse visual effects would occur for some of these properties, but this impact was outweighed by regional and national benefits.
At Meridian's request, the resource consent application was directly referred to the Environment Court. We prepared and delivered expert planning and ecological evidence, and the Environment Court granted consent for the project in April 2013. It was one of the early developments to take advantage of the “direct referral” process to the Environment Court, under the Resource Management Act.
