Two Central Otago projects are on the Government’s Fast-Track list - the Santana Minerals gold mining project and the Remarkables ski area upgrade.

The Cromwell Community Board heard from Central Otago District Council principal policy planner Ann Rodgers yesterday about the surprise second project - NZSki expanding into the Doolans basin area which was on Central Otago land.

The fast-track projects were released in early October with 149 nationwide, and local authorities also had the chance to nominate someone to sit on the independent panel as a team of four.

Community boards also had 20 days to comment on the proposals, and Ann said there were likely to be additional projects coming through the district within the next month.

A final gazetted list was being worked through to be released on December 20.

The Panel Convener role was an Environment Court or High Court Judge appointed by the Infrastructure Minister.

The site of the proposed Santana Minerals gold mine at Bendigo. FILE SHOT

Ann said members of the panel must collectively have knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the approvals sought and expertise in environmental matters.

The community board agreed they had to be smart with who they put on the panel, and there was likely to be a lot of material to read in preparation.

The Fast-Track Approvals Bill 2024 was introduced by the Government with the aim of making the approvals process faster and more efficient for a wide range of regionally and nationally significant infrastructure and development projects.

Prior to the lodging of a substantive application for a project on the list, the applicant must consult with relevant iwi authorities, hapu and treaty settlement entities, local authorities, land owners and adjacent land owners.

Ann told the meeting with over 20,000 submissions nationwide on the fast-track bill, there had been significant response from communities.

Cr Neil Gillespie said the key thing with such a tight timeframe to comment was that they made key connections within the community, "and now we have the heads up on two of them."

The board had to advocate on behalf of the community because that's what they expected of the community board, he said.

Council chief executive Peter Kelly said they also had to be very selective on what issues they focused on.

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