From PNCC Press Release:

A decision has been reached by a panel of three independent commissioners appointed by Palmerston North City Council, Horowhenua District Council and Horizons Regional Council to hear submissions on applications from Motorimu Wind Farm Limited to develop, construct, install, operate, maintain and decommission 127 wind turbines in the Tararua Ranges adjacent to Linton and Tokomaru. Commissioners Dinah Williams, Richard Heerdegen and David McMahon have granted consent for 75 of the proposed turbines to be constructed and have declined consent for the remaining 52 turbines. The grant of consent for the 75 turbines is subject to a number of detailed conditions imposed by the commissioners in appendices to their decision.
The applications were submitted to the three local authorities towards the end of last year and were followed by ten and a half days of public hearings held in Palmerston North in March this year.

On 18th October, at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Infrastructural Well-Being Committee, Palmerston North City Council voted to proceed with the change of purpose of the Turitea Reserve to add an additional local purpose - renewable energy generation.

The weather was kind for a few hours today and I joined two council staff members on a trip to the Turitea Reserve. All councillors have been given several opportunities to go up to the reserve by 4-wheel-drive to familiarise ourselves properly with the “lay of the land” prior to our workshops and later decision-making over the proposed change in status of the Turitea Reserve. Until my trip today, nobody had taken up the road-trip offers; however, several of us have been trying for weeks now to get an aerial view (the only way the entirety of the reserve can be seen) and, with luck, the weather will be kind enough to let us take off tomorrow.

Last week I was asked why I had not written anything about the proposed change of purpose of the Turitea Reserve and proposed amendments to the Turitea Reserve Management Plan. Well, I wrote about the submissions and hearings in my post of 15th September. I can update you now on things that are a matter of public record, but that is all I am able to do.