Contact seeks year-long delay on wind farm hearing

The board of inquiry considering Contact Energy's proposed $1 billion, 180-turbine Waikato wind farm could take more than a week to decide whether to approve a year-long adjournment to the hearing.

Applicants Contact Wind and Contact Energy yesterday sought an adjournment until May 3, next year.

The time is wanted to address increasingly pointed board comments about the practicability of the Hauauru ma raki project, given the sketchy nature of the engineering design evidence offered to date, and the difficulty for any meaningful assessment of effects by other parties.

The adjournment would also give Contact time to gather further data on the movement of migratory shorebirds, something the Conservation Department argues is critical before any decision on the project is possible.

But board chairman Judge Jeffrey Smith indicated any decision on adjournment was days away, and in the interim, he suggested that the hearing should continue.

"There are a whole series of issues we have to consider," he said.

"The best you can hope for is a decision before the end of this week. It's more likely to be next week."

On the 10th day of the inquiry at Tuakau, Contact counsel Trevor Robinson said the project fundamentals were sound, but Contact wished to provide the board with "the level of assurance it has signalled it is looking for".