The company's chairman of directors, Keith Turner, said the applications were filed with the Waimate council yesterday and Environment Canterbury on Friday.
Oceania wants the new milk plant in operation for the 2011-12 season, producing skim and whole milk powder. It hopes to have resource consents approved by the end of this year.
The two councils will now go through the applications and evaluate whether they need additional information from the company.
Once that is completed, they are likely to be advertised and public submissions called for. The applications will then proceed to a hearing for a decision to be made. That is likely to be a joint hearing.
Plans for the plant were announced earlier this year by Oceania, which has Dr Turner, former chief executive of Meridian Energy Ltd, and former Reserve Bank governor and National Party leader Don Brash as its directors.
Oceania has opened an office in Waimate to provide information about the project and resource consents, offering people the opportunity to discuss their concerns. The office is open one or two days a week.
