Applicant Contact Energy did not waste time after the project was turned down in March this year, taking just 16 days to apply for fast-tracking.
The power giant wants to build a 55-turbine wind farm near Wyndham, with a maximum height of 220m.
Along with turbines, underground cables, transformers, substation, a switching station, transmission line, up to two permanent meteorological 140m high masts, buildings and roading, turbine foundations and "hard stand" areas will be constructed.
The company decided to pursue the proposal through the Covid-19 legislation route in 2023 which eliminated the need for a formal RMA hearing.
But its proposal was rejected by the three-person panel appointed by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in March.
That left it to either seek fast-track approval or head to the High Court to dispute the decision.
Contact Energy did not agree with the EPA decision and decided to pursue fast-track approval.
A five-person panel has been appointed to oversee the process,
chaired by Ian Gordon, a Wellington-based barrister focusing on resources and environment law.
He chaired two panels under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 and advised another nine.
Bridget Gilbert, a landscape architect with more than 30 years of experience throughout New Zealand and the United Kingdom, has also been appointed.
She is an accredited commissioner and sits on the panel of independent hearing commissioners for Auckland Council.
Dr Roger Young, a manager of the Freshwater Ecosystems Group at the Cawthron Institute, has been appointed to the panel.
He is a freshwater ecologist with a PhD from the University of Otago and has more than 30 years’ experience, publishing more than 70 scientific journal papers.
Appointee Graeme Ridley has over 30 years' experience in erosion and sediment control, stormwater management, construction related environmental management, resource consents as well as compliance and senior management in local government.
Final panel member Rob van Voorthuysen has been an independent hearing commissioner on more than 450 occasions.
He initially trained as an engineer, specialising in water, soil and coastal management, and later gained a Master of Public Policy.
The panel’s selection was made by the Ministry for the Environment-appointed panel convener after input by stakeholders.
A timeline has been set by the panel convener, with comments from invited participants due on Friday.
Draft decisions and conditions would go to the Minister of Infrastructure, Chris Bishop, and the Minister of Regional Development, Shane Jones, in March next year.
Comments would then by sought by the applicant and participants, with a final decision to be released on April 17 next year.
Mr Bishop referred the project to the fast-track process on July 31, 2025.
The application was lodged by Contact on April 2 this year after its application was rejected on March 18.
