Government looking at speeding up resource consents

The Government is looking at speeding up resource consents for controversial regional mining and drilling applications.

Energy and Resources Minister, Phil Heatley, says regionally significant consent applications could go through a streamlined process.

That could mean a final decision on projects in nine months to a year, rather than the lengthier Resource Management Act process.

At present only nationally significant projects are eligible for the quicker option, which takes the application out of the hands of local councils and into a special committee.

The suggestion has met with quick condemnation from the Opposition and environment groups.

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