Environment Court Judge Jon Jackson, commissioners Alex Sutherland and Heather McConachy, and deputy commissioner Ken Fletcher left an appeal hearing for the 176-turbine wind farm at Queenstown yesterday, almost 10 months after it began at Cromwell in May 2008.
In total, the hearing sat for 33 days and involved about 70 witnesses from throughout New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, many of who took the stand to give evidence more than once.
Witnesses included poets, artists, professors, doctors, ecology scientists, landscape architects, computer-simulation experts, photographers, recreational land users, historians, farmers, land owners, climate scientists, transmission-industry professionals and planning consultants.
More than 10 lawyers from throughout New Zealand took part, as well as individual members of the public representing appellant parties, individuals and themselves.
Hundreds of documents, and almost 100 exhibits lodged as evidence, were included in the hearing.
After final closing submissions were made in the hearing yesterday Judge Jon Jackson said the panel expected to make a decision before the end of May.
"We hope to have it by then at the latest, but if any unforeseen circumstances arise it may take a little longer," he said.
