Far North Solar Farms

The South Wairarapa District Council received an application from Far North Solar Farms for a land use consent to establish and operate a Solar Farm at 415 Moroa Road Greytown, 312 Bidwills Cutting Road, Greytown and 18 Pharazyns Street, Greytown. Below are the Decision Documents issued by the Environment Court and Documents relating to the Application and Environment court proceedings. 

Decision

On 28 May 2026 Environment Court issued a final decision on the Far North Solar Farm application: Decision of the Environment Court

Supporting Documents

• Road and site access plan
• Module Typical Section
• Hardstands. Laydown Area
• Fence & gate design
• Drainage layout design
• Switch room Foundation Plan
• Switch room Elevation
• Site Layout
• Setback Design

On 28 October 2025 Environment Court issued a Interim decision on the Far North Solar Farm application: Interim Decision Document

Environment Court Proceedings

South Wairarapa District Council (SWDC) has granted a request by Far North Solar Farms Limited for their resource consent application to be referred to and determined by the Environment Court, rather than SWDC. A copy of the direct referral decision and request is below.

87C and 87D of the Resource Management Act (The Act) allow the applicant to request that a notified resource consent application be processed by the Environment Court, rather than the consent authority.

SWDC agreed with the reasons for the direct referral as set out by the applicant. SWDC considered criteria such as public interest and likelihood of appeals, complexity of the proposal, impact on parties, cost considerations and streamlined decision making to be relevant in considering whether to agree to or decline the request.

Under the Resource Management Act 1991, Council has 20 working days to prepare a report on the application. The report must:

(a)  address issues that are set out in sections 104 to 112 to the extent that they are relevant to the application; and

(b) suggest conditions that it considers should be imposed if the Environment Court grants the application; and

(c) provide a summary of submission received.

Application

The South Wairarapa District Council has received an application from Far North Solar Farms for a land use consent to establish and operate a 175-megawatt (peak) solar farm including:

• 321,160 photovoltaic solar panels on arrays mounted on tracking tables, with a maximum height of 4.5m above the ground
• Buildings not required for primary industry or residential
  purposes exceeding 25m2
• 40 inverters, lines and associated structures
• Associated site works and new accessways
• Screening planting.

Situated at the following locations:
415 Moroa Road, Greytown; 312 Bidwills Cutting Road, Greytown; 1942 State Highway 2, Greytown; 18 Pharazyns Road, Featherston legally described as Pt LOT 6 DP 8803 (WN391/56) Pt LOT 7 DP 8803 (WN391/56) Pt LOT 10 DP 3106 (WN583/131, WN583/132) SECTION 27 MOROA SETT (WNE1/330) LOT 1 DP 52574 BLKS IV WAIRARAPA SD BLK (WN22A/575) PT SEC 122 MOROA DISTRICT (WN36B/542) LOT 1 DP 76478 (WN43B/286)

The application includes an assessment of environmental effects.

Information current as at 29 May 2026