An independent panel has reconsidered an application to establish and operate a quarry in Maraekakaho, Hawke’s Bay, and granted consent.

The trustees of the RW and MC Gale Family Trust applied for resource consent under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020.

On 5 August 2024 the Maraekakaho Quarry project was granted consent by an independent panel. Te Taiwhenua O Heretaunga subsequently appealed the panel’s decision to the High Court.

On 22 August 2025, the High Court released its decision requiring the panel to be reconvened to reconsider the application. Read the High Court decision here: High Court decision (PDF, 282KB)

Once reconvened, the panel took 51 working days to reconsider the application and grant consent. The resource consent conditions are in the decision report on the page linked below.

Read the Maraekakaho Quarry reconsideration decision report (https://www.epa.govt.nz/fast-track-consenting/referred-projects/maraekakaho-quarry/the-decision-2/2025-reconsideration-decision/)

Notes:

• Information about the Maraekakaho Quarry project and the initial decision is available: Maraekakaho Quarry | EPA
• Appeals can only be made on questions of law, not on the merits of the decision.
• More information about the appeal process is available: Overview: Consenting under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 | EPA
• The Environmental Protection Authority is not involved in the decision-making. We provided procedural advice and administrative support to the panel convenor, Judge Laurie Newhook, and the expert consenting panel he appointed.

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