Meridian Energy has been granted resource consent by the Environment Court for its 120MW Central Wind wind farm near Taihape. The project had been challenged on the basis of landscape values - the same reason that had caused Meridian's 600 MW Project Hayes in Central Otago to be rejected - and because it would affect tourism. But unlike Central Otago, the slag heap in the middle of the North Island isn't considered an outstanding landscape, while the court found it was unlikely to diminish tourism in the area (that would require that there be some; Taihape and Waiouru are not known as tourist destinations).
If there is no further appeal, the wind farm will be constructed over the next two summers, and could be generating within a year.
