62330 (2024). Scott Willis to the Minister for the Environment

62330 (2024). Scott Willis to the Minister for the Environment: How many consent applications, if any, for solar farms have been lodged since January 2023, listed by title and date?

Hon Penny Simmonds: I am advised that the information required to answer this question is held by individual councils. While the Ministry for the Environment collects this information from councils annually, the information held by the Ministry extends to May 2023. For this reason, the information provided in this response covers the period between January 2023 and May 2023. Five solar farm-related consents were lodged between January and May 2023: - Consent for the earthworks of the Rangitaiki farm (Lodestone Solar) lodged on 20 January 2023 (granted in 17 days), -Change of consent conditions for the Pukenui Solar farm (Far North Solar) lodged on 24 March 2023 (later withdrawn), - Consent for the earthworks of the Pukenui Solar farm (Far North Solar) lodged on 17 March 2023 (granted in 51 days), - Change of consent conditions for the Pukenui Solar farm (Far North Solar) lodged on 24 May 2023 (granted in 3 days), - One solar farm consent in South Taranaki lodged on 21 April 2023 (granted in 21 days). Please note, this information includes solar farm and solar farm related consents including earthworks and geotechnical trials.