When contacted by the Wānaka Sun on Wednesday, Mr Schikker said he found out on Monday at the same time as everyone else that the Mt Iron Junction project was one of 149 deemed by the Cabinet to be of significant regional or national benefit.
"We are really pleased about it," he said.
He confirmed the concept had changed since Environment Court consent was granted.
The developers are now contemplating 263 high density units — a higher density than originally approved for the 6ha site, which had included nine workers’ accommodation units and 13 two- or three-bedroom terrace houses.
The original concept had not been progressed because the developers had to wait until the Mt Iron roundabout project was scoped, designed and built by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
Roundabout construction began in 2022 and was finally completed in July this year.
In the meantime, international fast food burger chain McDonalds announced plans — unpopular with a large group of Wānaka residents — to build a restaurant on part of the Mt Iron Junction site.
A public resource consent hearing has been scheduled for the McDonalds application in November.
Mr Schikker said he could not release the new concepts yet, but would do so as soon as he could.
"They will become a lot more transparent," he said.
The fast-track Bill would be reported back to Parliament in mid-October, and once it had been passed, an expert panel from the Environmental Protection Authority would assess the selected 149 plans and apply any appropriate conditions, Minister for
Infrastructure Chris Bishop said in a statement on Monday.
Mr Bishop said the 149 projects would "help rebuild the economy", fix the housing crisis, "improve energy security" and address the infrastructure deficit.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said the projects would "make a big difference in the regions by delivering jobs and growth, and develop a pipeline of major projects to help boost the economy".
The projects were selected through an open application process run by the Ministry for the Environment, analysis by officials, an independent assessment and recommendations process by an independent advisory group and final decisions by the Cabinet.
The chosen projects would be listed in Schedule 2 of the Bill.
The Environmental Protection Authority would have an expert panel assess the projects and apply relevant conditions.
The government is recommending expert panels also be able to decline approval.
It is envisaged the panels will function in much the same way as the Covid fast-track legislation established by the previous government.
There would be 44 listed housing developments, enabling up to 55,000 new homes, seven aquaculture and farming projects and 43 infrastructure projects, including at least 180km of new road, rail and public transport routes — mostly in the North Island.
Also on the list are eight quarrying projects, 22 renewable electricity projects and 11 mining projects.
The Cabinet considered 342 recommended projects and whittled them down to 149, "to better reflect the capacity from expert panels to assess and consent these projects," Mr Bishop said.
