The Process
How the Buller Plateaux Continuation Project is being assessed under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.
This page sets out how the Buller Plateaux Continuation Project is being assessed under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, and the work that has gone into preparing the application. It covers what the Fast-track process involves, the technical and environmental assessment carried out to date, and the consultation undertaken with iwi, communities and stakeholders across the West Coast.
What is the Fast-track Approvals Act?
The Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 gives major infrastructure, housing and development projects in New Zealand a single approval process. Rather than applying separately under the Resource Management Act and other legislation, a project lodges one application covering all the consents and permits it needs, from resource consents through to conservation and heritage approvals.
An independent expert panel assesses the application and makes the decision. The panel reviews the technical evidence, invites written comments from affected parties including iwi and local authorities, and can hold hearings. It can approve a project with conditions attached, or decline it.
Fast-track changes how and when a project is assessed, but not the standards it has to meet. The detailed technical assessments are still required, and are tested by an independent Expert Panel.
For full details on how the Fast-track process works, visit the Government's Fast-track Approvals website.
Our application
Bathurst has been preparing the Buller Plateaux Continuation Project application since December 2024. Development of the application has included more than 55 technical studies, covering topics such as mine design, water, ecology, traffic, noise, heritage, and social and economic effects. The key environmental studies have been independently peer reviewed, and a suite of 25 management plans has been developed to support implementation of the assessed conditions.
The substantive application was lodged in August 2026. It is first reviewed for completeness and compliance with statutory requirements, before being referred to an independent Expert Panel for formal assessment. The Expert Panel considers environmental, social, economic, cultural and heritage, and infrastructure matters, and decides whether approvals should be granted and under what conditions.
Application insights
55+ technical studies
prepared in topics like mine design, water, ecology, traffic, noise, heritage, social and economic effects, rehabilitation.
21 months
of formal project development before lodgement from December 2024 - August 2026.
Independent peer reviews
were complete for key technical effects assessments, environmental studies and management plans.
25 management plans
prepared to demonstrate how environmental and operational effects will be managed.
15 + years of environmental monitoring
drawing on long-term data and investigations relating to water quality, aquatic ecology, biodiversity, rehabilitation and mine management across the Stockton operation.
Stakeholder interactions
Engagement with a wide range of stakeholders through information sessions, meetings and workshops including; regulators, our workforce and contractors, community groups, statutory bodies community groups, neighbours, industry groups, infrastructure owners and operators, recreation users, and heritage groups
Our consultation
Consultation and engagement on the FTAA Project began in November 2024. Engagement includes iwi, local communities, community and heritage groups, recreation users, regulators, statutory authorities, and infrastructure providers. Consultation and engagement will continue through the assessment process. Please sign up for updates or visit our our news section for the latest information on our consultation and engagement work.
