All evidence and submissions in relation to the visual, landscape and historic aspects of Meridian Energy's proposed Project Hayes wind farm have been presented to an Environment Court appeal hearing in Cromwell.
A submission voiced by Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust counsel Mike Floate at the hearing yesterday afternoon concluded the first two weeks of a six-week appeal process.
Dr Floate, of Tarras, was the last of nine active appellant parties and two other active parties to put forward their arguments in relation to part of the Project Hayes development.
Environment Court judge Jon Jackson, commissioners Alex Sutherland and Heather McConachy, and deputy commissioner Ken Fletcher are hearing all cases in regard to last year's granting of resource consent for Project Hayes.
During seven days of the appeal hearing from May 19, the panel has listened to the evidence and cross-examination of 13 witnesses, including five landscape architects, several environmental scientists, two computer simulation experts, an archaeologist, and a geomorphologist.
Central Otago residents, artists, landowners, heritage enthusiasts and recreational land users have also had their say in the hearing. The hearing has so far involved 11 lawyers and active counsels.
Today, Judge Jackson and the panel's three commissioners will visit parts of the 92sq km proposed site for project Hayes on the Lammermoor Range, while driving on Old Dunstan Rd. They will also visit an area of land proposed for the Mahinerangi wind farm, which also is subject to an Environment Court appeal hearing ruling.
The Project Hayes hearing will resume at Cromwell on July 28 for two weeks, during which evidence and submissions relating to the construction effects of the development will be put to the panel.
For reasons of proximity, the last two weeks of the hearing will take place in Dunedin from August 18. The hearing is scheduled to finish on August 29.
After that hearing ends, the panel will be set to reach its decision.
