The rejection of the Pegasus golf course housing proposal has delivered a win for opponents of the development, but attention is now turning to Ōhoka and the next major test of the Government’s fast track system.

The Government declined Wolfbrook’s application to use the fast track process for a proposed development of around 1000 homes on the Pegasus Golf Course.

Labour MP Dan Rosewarne credited the Pegasus Residents Group and the more than 16,000 people who signed a petition opposing the proposal.

“This is a significant win for the community,” Rosewarne said. He said there were still issues to resolve, including ensuring the golf course grounds were maintained and public access was protected while the future of the site was decided.

Rosewarne said Wolfbrook still had several options available, including pursuing normal consenting and rezoning pathways, applying again through fast track, or exploring a community ownership option.

National MP Matt Doocey said the decision showed the fast track process was not simply approving every application. “Fast track is not a rubber stamp,” Doocey said.

He said he had spoken with Pegasus Residents Group chairman Matt James following the decision, but accepted the community’s celebrations were cautious because the developer could still pursue other options. “Most people in Waimakariri are open to new housing developments. The reality is, we need to build new houses, but it’s in the right places,” Doocey said.

The discussion then turned to Ōhoka, where a proposed large scale residential development has become the next focus of debate around fast track approvals. The Carter Group application covers about 154 hectares of rural land and proposes around 879 residential lots, a commercial centre, a retirement village, a polo ground, roads, reserves and supporting infrastructure.

The proposal has already faced opposition through previous planning processes, including a private plan change application that was rejected by Waimakariri District Council after opposition from residents and concerns raised through the hearing process.

The development was later accepted into the Government’s fast track process and is now being considered by an independent expert panel.

Doocey disclosed during the interview that he had a family connection to the developers. “Tim and Philip Carter are my cousin and my uncle,” Doocey said. He said he was managing any perceived or actual conflict of interest through advice from the Cabinet Office and the Clerk of the House.

Doocey said the Ōhoka application would now go through an independent process, with the panel responsible for assessing the proposal and determining participation from affected parties. Rosewarne said Ōhoka represented a wider debate about the role of communities in major housing decisions.

Rosewarne said “the community have spent years engaging with planning processes and making their views known about this large scale development in their community.”

He criticised the fast track legislation, saying residents had fewer guaranteed opportunities to have their say compared with traditional planning processes. Rosewarne said recent updates from the fast track panel showed a decision on the Ōhoka application was not expected until March next year.

He said the delay gave residents more time to consider their next steps, with concerns remaining around infrastructure and engagement with neighbouring landowners. Doocey said the extended timeframe showed the panel was taking those concerns seriously.

“The panel has acknowledged a range of issues with this application and is taking an extended time to go and step through them and seek answers,” he said.

The MPs also discussed Lyttelton Port Company’s proposed $821 million expansion and concerns from unions about automation. Rosewarne said workers needed to be properly consulted about major changes.

“These are workers with mortgages, families and bills,” he said. He said investment in technology should also focus on supporting workers through training and new opportunities.

Doocey said automation was necessary for Lyttelton to remain competitive with other ports. “Automation actually supports more jobs because you are growing,” he said.

He said the expansion represented an opportunity for Canterbury’s economy and would help ensure the port remained competitive.