Economic and employment benefits are set to flow in the South with the recent approval of two fast-track projects.
The Fast Track process is about cutting through unnecessary delays to unlock the projects that will provide benefits to the people of the South, giving the certainty and momentum needed to create jobs and drive long-term economic growth.
The Slopedown wind farm near Wyndham was last week granted approval by a Fast Track panel, with the project set to inject $13.5 million into the local economy and create up to 300 jobs during construction.
The wind farm, which situated on hills about 30km southeast of Gore, will consist of 55 turbines and has the potential to generate up to 380MW and provide power for up to 150,000 households.
Once commissioned, it would employ about 10 to 14 full-time equivalent staff to operate it - the biggest wind farm in the country.
However, the real significance of this project lies in the ability of this infrastructure to unlock further investment and attract new industry to the Southland region.
This project will also play an important part in achieving this Government's vision of reliable, affordable and abundant energy supply for New Zealanders, with more generation in the system keeping downward pressure on prices and shoring up security of supply.
The other Southern project to be fast-tracked this week, is the development of a full-service film and television production village at Ayrburn Farm, near Queenstown.
Waterfall Park Developments Ltd expect building of the Ayrburn Screen Hub to inject about $280 million into the local economy and support around 640 jobs across the wider Southland/Otago region.
Once operating, it is expected to support about 370 local jobs each year.
Across the country 15 projects have so far been approved by expert panels, 22 are with expert panels and another 43 are currently progressing through the Fast-track process.
On average, it has taken 128 working days for decisions on substantive applications - from when officials determine an application is complete and in-scope.
It's exciting to see that the fast-track process is providing a more timely, and effects-based pathway to get projects over the line, with regions like Southland benefitting through important economic growth.
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