Milford Dart Ltd will present its response to the Department of Conservation hearings panel on its controversial proposal to construct a $150 million, 11.3km tunnel through two national parks at a hearing in Queenstown next week.
Hearing chairman Paul Green and assistant Chris Visser presided over two weeks of hearings last month. The first week was held in Te Anau and the second in Queenstown.
They were tasked with compiling the 1235 submissions to pass on to the Doc decision-maker, likely to be Doc deputy director Sue Tucker.
The department had agreed in principle to grant the concession.
Doc's ultimate decision could be subject to a judicial review, but only on points of law; for example, if Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson failed to take into account relevant matters, or took into account matters that were not relevant.
However, the application would require resource consents from both the Queenstown Lakes District Council and the Southland District Council and any decision of either council could be appealed to the Environment Court.
Following the hearings, which were adjourned on March 23, MDL had prepared its response, which is to be presented at an open hearing in the resort on April 20.
Ms Visser said the company had been allocated between two and three hours for its response. All submitters would be notified of the time of the hearing, when it was confirmed.
Milford Dart Ltd first mooted the tunnel in 2005.
If approved and built, it would halve the nine-hour return travel time for visitors travelling by bus from Queenstown to Milford Sound.
The company has applied to build the single-lane commercial coach tunnel under sections of the two national parks, linking the public roads in the Routeburn and Hollyford Valleys.
It would require about 150m of road to be built in the Mt Aspiring National Park and the tunnel under the Humboldt and Ailsa Ranges.
Doc's decision was notified in December.
At the time, it was reported if the concession was granted the tunnel could be operational by late 2015.
