Fast-track application to mine Denniston Plateau rejected
Thursday 24 September 2026 · 3 outlets · 3 reports · updated In this story Forest and Bird, Bathurst Resources
A fast-track application by Bathurst Resources to expand mining operations near Westport has been rejected. A panel deemed the application to extract coal from the Stockton and Denniston sites incomplete and non-compliant with fast-track law. The company has been advised that it may lodge a new application.
Key facts
4 facts
- Bathurst Resources' application to expand Stockton and Denniston mining was rejected as incomplete
- The application sought to extract 20 million tonnes of coal over 25 years
- Mining licences are set to expire in March 2027
- The West Coast operation employs 390 people
The full story
1 min read · 3 outlets
A fast-track application by Bathurst Resources to expand mining operations on the West Coast has been rejected for being incomplete. The application sought to extend the Stockton mine near Westport and expand operations to the neighbouring Denniston Plateau. If new consents are not granted, the company's mining licences could expire in March 2027.
The fast-track expert panel found the application did not comply with fast-track law. Despite additional information provided by the company on 18 September, the panel noted that Bathurst had not explained how it would manage lizards in the area. Furthermore, the company had not provided written agreement from local authorities to proceed.
The proposed expansion aimed to extract 20 million tonnes of coal over 25 years, including a decade of decommissioning. Bathurst Resources stated its West Coast operation employs 390 people, mostly in the Buller area. The company has the option to prepare and lodge a new application.
Forest and Bird opposed the application, with spokesperson Scott Burnett stating, "Denniston is a lizard hotspot". The group expressed concerns regarding the management of protected species and potential acid mine drainage into the Waimangaroa and Mangatini rivers. Campaigner Adam Currie described the decision as a "breath of relief for nature".
Where reports differ
- One report identifies the panel as a fast-track panel, while another refers to it as the Environmental Protection Authority’s Fast-track team
Compiled from reports by The Post, Stuff and Otago Daily Times.