Genesis Energy Castle Hill Wind Farm

Genesis Energy seeks all necessary resource consents required from the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council (MWRC), Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), Tararua District Council (TDC) and Masterton District Council (MDC), for the construction, operation, maintenance, replacement and refurbishment of the Castle Hill Wind Farm (CHWF) and associated infrastructure on privately owned rural land and public roads in northern Wairarapa and southern Tararua.

Proposal:

In summary, the CHWF proposal involves: 

• Total site area of approximately 30,000ha, with ‘turbine corridor’ of approximately 3144ha and operational footprint of approximately 230ha
• Installation of up to 286 turbines with maximum generating capacity of between 429MW and 858MW, equivalent to that consumed each year by up to 330,000 average New Zealand households
• Construction of more than 200km of internal site roads/tracks
• Upgrading of approximately 80km of public roads between Alfredton and the site
• Earthworks within the site comprising between 6.1 million and 8.2 million cubic metres of total cut
• Earthworks associated with external road upgrades totalling approximately 510,000 cubic metres of cut to fill/waste
• Stream works
• Vegetation removal
• Concrete batching plants construction and operation
• Quarries construction and operation
• Water abstraction
• A construction programme of 3 – 7 years
• Genesis Energy is seeking resource consents that enable a defined maximum size and number of turbines to be built within an identified Turbine Corridor, but with some flexibility as to the exact location of turbines and the models to be used.  Wind turbines will not total more than 286, and will be no more than 155m in height (as measured from the ground to the rotor tip). 

To view the full list of applications applied with Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Tararua District Council and Masterton District Council please click here

Activity Address: 

The CHWF Site covers some 30,000ha and is located approximately 20 kms northeast of Masterton, 20 km east of Eketahuna and Pahiatua and 15 km west of the Wairarapa Coast north of Castlepoint.. The closest settlements are Tiraumea, Alfredton, Bideford, Tinui, Pongaroa, Makuri and Mauriceville.

Consents sought

Resource consents sought from Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council

105949: Land Use Consent for land disturbance, earthworks and vegetation clearance, including in a Hill Country Erosion Management Area.

105950: Land Use Consent to upgrade existing public roads and construction of new roads, including associated land disturbance, earthworks and vegetation clearance.

105951: Land Use Consent to authorise works in, and associated excavation and disturbance of streambeds, for the placement, construction, use and maintenance of structures, including cabling, in, on, or over the streambed.

105952: A Water Permit for the damming and diversion of water (including surface and ground water) during construction and operational activities. 

105953: A Water Permit to take and use a combined total of up to 531 cubic metres per day of surface water for construction activities from the Te Hoe Stream, the Tiraumea Stream, and the Tiraumea River when the Tiraumea River flow at the MWRC river flow gauge at Ngaturi is less than the median flow but exceeds 2.04 cubic metres per second.

105954: A Water Permit to take and use surface water for construction activities from the Te Hoe Stream, the Tiraumea Stream, and the Tiraumea when the Tiraumea River flow at the MWRC river flow gauge at Ngaturi exceeds the median flow.

105955: A Discharge Permit (discharge to land) to discharge stormwater that may contain contaminants to land during the construction and operation of infrastructure and facilities.

105956: A Discharge Permit (discharge to water) to discharge stormwater that may contain contaminants to surface water during the construction and operation of infrastructure and facilities.

105957: A Discharge Permit (discharge to land) to discharge stormwater and wash water (from truck bowl wash out and the concrete batching plants) to land.

105958: A Discharge Permit (discharge to land) to dispose Excess Fill to land, within the CHWF Site.

105959: A Discharge Permit (discharge to air) to discharge contaminants to air.

A consent term of 35 years is sought. 

Resource consents sought from Greater Wellington Regional Council:

31326: Land Use Consent to authorise land disturbance, earthworks and vegetation clearance associated with the construction, operation, maintenance, replacement and refurbishment of all structures and activities associated with the CHWF consent activities.

31327: Land Use Consent to authorise the upgrade existing External Roads (including associated land disturbance, earthworks and vegetation clearance).

31328: Land Use Consent to authorise works in, and associated excavation and disturbance of streambeds for the placement, construction, use and maintenance of structures in, on, under or over the streambed, (including bridges, culverts, cabling and structures).

31329: Land Use Consent to authorise works in, and associated excavation and disturbance of streambeds, for the placement, construction, use and maintenance of structures in, on, under or over the streambed in a manner that constitutes a permanent reclamation or occupation of the bed.

31330: A Water Permit to authorise damming and diversion of water (including surface and groundwater) during construction and operational activities, associated with the CHWF consent activities.

31331: A Water Permit to authorise the take and use of up to 890 cubic metres per day of surface water from the Tinui River at Taipo, at or about NZTM map reference 1866476E 5477290N.

31332: A Discharge Permit to authorise the discharge of stormwater that may contain contaminants to land and surface water during the construction and operation of infrastructure and facilities, associated with the CHWF consent activities.

31333: A Discharge Permit to authorise the discharge of Excess Fill to land, within the CHWF Site.

31334: A Discharge Permit to discharge of contaminants to air associated with the operation of Concrete Batching Plants and mobile aggregate crushing plants.

31335: A Discharge Permit to discharge stormwater and wash water (from truck bowl wash out and Concrete Batching Plant areas) to land.

An unlimited duration consent is sought for the Section 13 Regional Council reclamation consent.  A term of 35 years is sought for all other consents.

Resource consents sought from Tararua District Council:

202-2011-59: Land Use Consent for the construction, operation, maintenance, replacement and refurbishment of the CHWF and associated structures including wind turbines; Electrical Balance of Plant; internal roads; permanent operations and maintenance facilities; up to 16 wind monitoring masts; temporary construction facilities; water abstraction and retention structures; quarries to obtain aggregate material for road constructions; concrete batching plants; excess fill areas; upgrading of local road network; and land disturbance, earthworks and vegetation clearance associated with construction works.

An unlimited duration consent is sought for the District Council Land Use consent.

Resource consents sought from Masterton District Council:

110043: Land Use Consent for the construction, operation, maintenance, replacement and refurbishment of the CHWF and associated structures including wind turbines; Electrical Balance of Plant; internal roads; permanent operations and maintenance facilities; up to 16 wind monitoring masts; temporary construction facilities; water abstraction and retention structures; quarries to obtain aggregate material for road constructions; concrete batching plants; excess fill areas; upgrading of local road network; and land disturbance, earthworks and vegetation clearance associated with construction works.

An unlimited duration consent is sought for the District Council Land Use consent.

Submissions

To make a submission

Submissions may be made in writing by any person or can be sent via email to consent.submissions@horizons.govt.nz and followed with a hardcopy. Submissions must be received by Horizons Regional Council no later than 4.45pm on the submission closing date (Monday 26 September 2011). A submission form is available and can be requested via the email address above. The submission must include:

1.  Details of the application in respect of which you are making the submission.

2.  Your name, postal address, telephone number and fax number (if applicable).

3.  Whether you support or oppose the applications.

4.  Whether you wish to be heard in respect of the submission.

5.  The reasons for making the submission and the decision you wish the consent authority to make.

6.  Be dated and signed by the person making the submission.

A copy of every submission must be served on the applicant at the address below and to the Regional Council.

Address for service:

Genesis Power Limited (Trading as Genesis Energy), C/- Paul F Majurey/T L Hovell, Atkins Holm Majurey Limited, PO Box 1585, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140.

Please contact Lucy Cooper, Perception Planning Ltd, on (06) 306 6105 or by email to lucy@perceptionplanning.co.nz if you have any questions or would like to discuss this application further.

Closing date for submissions

4.45pm Monday 26 September 2011

The application and accompanying information may be viewed at the following locations:

Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council

• Horizons Regional Council Offices, 11-15 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North
• Or online at www.horizons.govt.nz

 Greater Wellington Regional Council

• GWRC Wellington Offices, 142 Wakefield Street, Wellington
• GWRC Masterton Offices, 34 Chapel Street, Masterton
• Or online at www.gw.govt.nz

 Tararua District Council

• Eketahuna Service Centre/Library, 31 Main Street, Eketahuna
• Pahiatua Service Centre, 103 Main Street, Pahiatua
• Woodville Service Centre, 45 Vogel Street, Woodville
• Dannevirke Service Centre (Head Office), 26 Gordon Street, Dannevirke
• Or online at www.tararuadc.govt.nz

 Masterton District Council

• Masterton District Council Offices, 64 Chapel Street, Masterton
• Masterton District Library, 54 Queen Street, Masterton
• Or online at www.mstn.govt.nz

A copy of the application can also be found at www.genesisenergy.co.nz.  You can also request a CD-ROM of the application from Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council (phone (06) 952 2971).

The application and accompanying information may be viewed during the hours 8.15 am - 4.45 pm at the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council situated at 11-15 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North. To view a full copy or a summary of the consent application please click here.

Further information

Further information has been received from the applicant. Please click here to view.