Port of Tauranga’s Stella Passage development resource consent, issued on September 7 under the Fast-track Approvals Act, has been appealed by tangata whenua parties.
Port of Tauranga said that they have been notified of an appeal and a judicial review application. Commenting the news, Port of Tauranga Chief Executive, Leonard Sampson, said that the appeals were disappointing but not unexpected.
“The urgency of this project is unchanged, and we will be seeking the earliest possible court hearing,” Sampson said.
The Stella Passage development involves extending the Sulphur Point container berth by 385m in two stages and the Mount Maunganui wharves by 315m.
The project will convert existing cargo storage land within the port’s current footprint. It also includes associated land reclamation behind the new wharves and dredging of the passage.