- Three out of four Southland projects accepted for fast-tracking are aquaculture developments.
- The projects include hatcheries, marine farming, and a climate-resilient salmon farming facility.
- The fourth project will provide Invercargill residents and businesses with a reliable secondary water supply.
Three out of the four Southland projects recently accepted under the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill focus on aquaculture, according to Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds.
“The Government has announced 149 projects with significant regional or national benefits, to be fast-tracked for approval under the Fast-track Approvals Bill," said Simmonds. "The four Southland projects will supercharge our economy, create jobs, and deliver growth to our province."
The Southland projects set for fast-track approval include:
- Sanford Ltd’s Makarewa Hatchery Project: This project aims to construct and operate a land-based recirculating water salmon hatchery on a 24-hectare former abattoir site.
- Ngāi Tahu’s Hananui Aquaculture Project: The project will develop a 2,500-hectare marine space for marine farming, focusing on finfish production.
- ImpactMarine Bluff Ltd’s Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Aquaculture Project: The proposal involves constructing and operating a land-based salmon farm and processing facility.
- Invercargill City Council’s Awarua Alternate Water Supply Project: This initiative will provide a standalone, reliable secondary water source for the residents and businesses of Invercargill, capable of supplying around 20 million litres of additional treated water daily.
“Each project will be reviewed by an expert panel, which will assess its environmental effects. The panels will contain expertise relevant to the project, environmental issues, and Treaty considerations,” Simmonds said.
The panel will balance environmental protection with the need for growth and has the authority to decline a project if its environmental impacts are deemed too high. If approved, these projects are expected to provide substantial benefits to the Southland regional economy, including high-paying jobs, increased exports, and reliable infrastructure.
Simmonds noted that red and green tape had long hindered economic growth, delaying essential infrastructure and housing projects. “The Fast-track Approvals Bill cuts through this bureaucracy, enabling projects of national and regional significance to proceed more quickly and efficiently.”