Timeframe obligations for the Santana Minerals fast-track application will be challenging to meet, the Central Otago District Council (CODC) says.

Staff have started to review comprehensive reports on the proposed Santana Minerals gold mine, and documents would be shared with councillors as they became available, the meeting was told on Wednesday (June 25).

At a previous meeting, council approved both mayor Tamah Alley and Cromwell-based councillor Sarah Brown to review and approve council's comments in the 'key issues report.'

CODC planning and infrastructure group manager Louise van der Voort told the meeting this week, that delegating staff to the project would provide extra time to complete and review the report.

Council has confirmed the consent from Santana would be lodged this week, and council staff were in the process of engaging consultants and refining the scope of work.

“The applicant’s draft reports are starting to come through as part of consultation and there is already a significant volume of material which needs to be read and understood,” Louise's report said.

“It has become evident that once the application is lodged, it will be challenging for council to meet its obligations under the Fast Track Approvals Act in the 20 days provided, being: the review of the application, distribution to consultants with instructions, completion and review of consultants’ reports and preparation and approval of the key issues report.

“The key issues report will largely be based on the technical evidence of consultants relating the effects of the proposal, and proposed conditions.”

The key issues report was much like an s42a report that offered a recommendation to the hearings panel on whether the project should be approved or not.

Council recently recommended that deputy mayor Neil Gillespie sit on the hearings panel for the fast-track proposal, but that was still yet to be decided.

Santana Minerals said it was continuing to advance its Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project, with a strong focus on environmental stewardship, community engagement, and responsible development.

In a press release the company said while the Fast Track Act aimed to accelerate decision-making, it did not override the requirements of the Resource Management Act or other applicable legislation. 

“The collective work undertaken to support the application represents one of the most intensive and comprehensive studies ever conducted on the Dunstan Mountains.”

Recognised as the most significant single gold discovery in New Zealand in the past 40 years, the development would include an open pit ultimately 1,000m long, 850 metres wide and 200 metres deep, and an underground mining operation to access deeper extensions of the deposit.

A key consideration of the project design was the processing plant, which would be located in the lower Shepherds Valley. 

Environmental considerations remained central to project planning, the company said.

“While the majority of the environmental assessments have been completed, several key ecological reports are in progress, as outlined in Santana Minerals’ 13 June ASX update. Design considerations are being made to ensure that environmental effects are avoided, mitigated, compensated, or offset.”

Due to surrounding landforms, the site is expected to have low visibility. A comprehensive visual simulation will be included in the consent application to provide clarity on the project’s visual footprint.

Since September 2024, Santana has hosted regular community drop-in sessions, which will continue throughout 2025.

“We are committed to delivering a project that brings long-term benefits to the region while respecting the land and the values of our local communities,” Santana chief executive Damian Spring said.

“For many of our team this is our home too, and our focus is on listening, refining, and working together to build a project that Central Otago can be proud of for generations to come.”