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The government has confirmed property developer Wolfbrook has applied to fast-track its controversial plan to rip up Canterbury's Pegasus Golf Course to make way for housing.
Wolfbrook bought the 18-hole, 77-hectare golf course at a mortgagee sale in May after Pegasus Golf Ltd went into liquidation.
The company hoped to redevelop the land for up to 1000 homes and a mixed-use commercial and community area.
On Tuesday, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop confirmed Wolfbrook had applied to have the project referred to the fast-track consent process but laughed off suggestions it meant bulldozers would soon move in.
"You're getting quite a way ahead of yourself," he told reporters at Parliament.
"All that's happened is they've applied and the officials are analysing it for whether or not the application is complete. There's a bunch of things you've got to include in your application and there's a completeness check process underway at the moment."
Bishop refused to be drawn on whether he supported the proposal.
"It would be totally inappropriate for me to have a view. I have got a statutory role as a decision maker as Minister for Infrastructure in relation to the fast-track," he said.
"We're at the start of a process so you're getting very far ahead of yourself."
Bishop's office provided a statement saying officials were assessing the application for completeness and eligibility.
"Officials will either provide the application to the Minister for Infrastructure or the application will be returned to the applicant if it is incomplete," the statement said.
"During referral stage comments will be invited from a range of groups including relevant local authorities, the Minister for the Environment and relevant portfolio ministers. Through these comments the Minister for Infrastructure, as decision-maker, can gain a good understanding of the project ... helping to inform the minister's decision-making on a referral application.
"Referrals to-date have taken on average 81 working days, however, this can vary, for example additional information may be requested to support a decision.
"If the minister decides to refer the project into fast track then the applicant can lodge a substantive application."
If Bishop referred the project to the fast-track then Waimakariri District Council, Canterbury Regional Council, local Māori and neighbouring landowners would be invited to have their say before an expert panel made the final decision.
More than 16,000 people signed a petition calling for the project to face the usual consenting process, which was delivered to the Parliament in July.
The petition's presentation followed a June public meeting attended by more than 500 people opposed to the golf course plan.
Wolfbrook further inflamed tensions when it concreted holes at the golf course in early July.
Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey has said he opposed the project and its use of the Fast-Track Approvals Act.
Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon also opposed and wrote a letter to Bishop urging the application be declined.
The district council was advised of Wolfbrook's intention to fast-track the project on 24 June.
Under the Fast-Track Approvals Act, the council had 20 working days to formally respond to Wolfbrook's letter.
The council told RNZ it did not formally respond but council representatives instead met with the developer to discuss the proposal.
"It's common for planning staff to meet with developers to discuss proposals, provide information about council services (e.g. Three Waters) and highlight any potential issues. This meeting does not imply endorsement or otherwise of any project," the council said.
The council also released to RNZ the letter notifying it of the proposal. It was sent by planning company Novo Group on behalf of Wolfbrook.
"With the closure of the private golf club previously operated by Pegasus Golf Limited, Wolfbrook considers that the site presents as a logical extension of the urban area in a location that is devoid of many of the constraints that may exist in other areas of the district (e.g. development of highly productive land, development with poor access to public transport and amenities, and development within airport noise contours or high flood hazard areas)," the letter said.
"In this context, the project is proposed to deliver a master-planned extension to the Pegasus, Woodend and Ravenswood urban area, supported by integrated infrastructure, open space and supporting community and commercial services. To achieve this outcome, the project will be designed with expert input in order to leverage existing site opportunities and manage any identified adverse effects.
"Wolfbrook recognises that the site is located within a culturally significant landscape, is cognisant of the cultural overlays identified in the Waimakariri District Plan and has initiated engagement with Ngāi Tūāhuriri. Wolfbrook is committed to ongoing engagement with mana whenua in order to identify, understand and appropriately recognise and provide for cultural values and the relationship of mana whenua with the land, including wāhi tapu and other taonga.
"Overall, the project will enable and support a well-functioning urban environment by responding to strong housing demand in a strategically appropriate location whilst recognising and responding to known values and constraints."
Wolfbrook ignored RNZ's repeated requests for comment on the proposal.
