Port of Tauranga nears finish-line in Stella Passage consent battle
The draft decision follows a consenting process that has taken seven years to complete.
The Port of Tauranga is set to reach the final stages in its Stella Passage consent battle, with conditional approval granted under the government's fast-track consenting process. The development involves extending the Sulphur Point container berth by 385 metres and the Mount Maunganui wharves by 315 metres, through the conversion of cargo storage land within the port's existing footprint.
Additional land reclamation and dredging will also occur. Port of Tauranga CEO Leonard Sampson welcomed the draft decision, stating that the expansion is vital for the regional and national economy, offering widespread economic benefits, reduced costs for importers and exporters, and unlocking decarbonisation opportunities. However, the draft approval is subject to unpublished conditions by the fast-track expert panel, which have not been made public.
The port has two days to respond to these proposed conditions, and other interested parties will also have the opportunity to comment. This comes after a seven-year consent process that involved Resource Management Act hearings, environment court proceedings, and legal challenges over environmental and cultural impacts.
Brief written by urgent.news from RNZ Business's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
