The independent panel considering the Ministry of Health’s consent application yesterday advised that it had, as foreshadowed last month, opted to grant itself an extension on its
approval deadline.
"To ensure a fair and just process and to allow the panel to consider the scale and nature of the proposal, the panel considers it necessary to extend the 25-working day period to make its decision," Judge Laurie Newhook said.
The fast-track legislation being used to assess the application allows that if the "scale or nature of the proposal" means the panel is unable to complete its decision within the timeframe, it can give itself an extension of up to a further 25 working days.
Rather than report back by December 13, the panel will now release its decision on stage 1 of the $1.47billion construction project on or before February 9.
A ministry spokeswoman said it had factored in a potential delay to obtaining consent in its plans.
"The option to extend consenting time is set out as part of the process and planners have allowed for this contingency, meaning there is no adverse effect to the Ministry’s new Dunedin Hospital project timeline.
"The ministry will continue to provide any further information required by the panel in a timely fashion."
One factor behind the panel’s extension of deliberations was a decision by it to seek comment from University of Otago on the proposal.
The panel has already asked a range of businesses and landowners near the inner city site to comment on the application but, strangely, opted not to include the university, which owns adjacent land and also operates the Te Rangi Hiroa College residential college, which sits on designated
hospital land.
"The panel considers that the University of Otago should be provided a fair opportunity to comment on the application," Judge Newhook said.
The university was given until January 13 to have its say.
"If the panel is minded to grant consent it will invite comments on the draft conditions after the receipt of any comments from the University of Otago and the applicant’s response to its comments, in late January 2022."
