On 10 April 2013, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, as both an applicant and a consenting authority, and the Whakatāne District Council as a joint consenting authority, sought submissions on the Kopeopeo Canal Remediation Project. Submissions closed on 17 May 2013.
A total of 139 submissions have been received on the resource consent applications:
- 69 in support
- 66 in opposition
- 4 neutral
Since the close of submissions, the planners processing the applications for the regional and district councils have undertaken a review of the submissions, with a view to determining what additional information is needed. Additionally, advice has been sought in relation to some technical aspects of the submissions and the proposal.
The applicant will receive a formal request for further information by the end of June. Any response to the information request will be made available to all submitters.
A Joint Hearings Committee will hear and decide on the applications to both the regional and district councils. A hearing date will be set once information requested from the applicant has been received.
The Joint Hearings Committee will be made up of independent commissioners who will hear and decide the applications to the Regional Council. The application to the Whakatāne District Council will be heard by the independent commissioners, plus an appointed District Council commissioner, Councillor Christine Chambers. Submitters will be advised of the hearing date once it has been set.
More information about hearings on resource consent applications can be found at the websites below: