Irrigation companies on the lower Waitaki River have withdrawn their appeal to the Environment Court over plans for a new $200 million scheme to irrigate up to 40,000ha in the Waimate district.
That follows a decision in August by Ngai Tahu to withdraw its appeal after it reached an agreement with partners Meridian Energy Ltd and the South Canterbury Irrigation Trust, which had won resource consents for water for the Hunter Downs irrigation scheme.
Their withdrawal leaves only an appeal by the Mid River Users' Group - mostly farmers in the mid-reaches of the river - against the scheme.
The Lower Waitaki Irrigation Company and Maerewhenua Irrigation Company, joined by interested parties the Morven Glenavy Ikawai Irrigation Co and other groups, had appealed against resource consents granted by Environment Canterbury in April last year for the Hunter Downs scheme.
Their issue was over priority of water and a fear, if their consents were reviewed, Hunter Downs could end up with a higher priority than existing schemes.
After discussions, agreement was reached between Meridian and the trust with the appellants, which resulted in the court approving a consent memorandum with a change to conditions on the Hunter Downs resource consent.
That change will ensure if resource consents held by irrigation companies are reviewed, so will the Hunter Downs consent.
Ngai Tahu had appealed because of the effects on its values, but reached agreement with Meridian and the trust resolving those.
The agreement gave Ngai Tahu closer involvement but no financial payment.
Appeals were due to be heard in August in Oamaru, but that did not proceed.
A new date to hear the remaining appeals has yet to be set.
The Hunter Downs scheme came as a result of a partnership between Meridian and the South Canterbury Irrigation Trust.
It would take up to 20.5cumecs from the lower Waitaki River on the north bank near the Stonewall at Ikawai.
The water would be pumped to a distribution system then gravity fed, taking it as far as just south of Timaru.
The scheme has been granted consent for water, but land use consents to build and operate the scheme still have to be applied for.
In the meantime, investigations into the scheme are continuing.
