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New Zealand's new bill speeds up major project approvals, especially for grocery stores, cutting processing time to a year or less.
New Zealand’s Fast-Track Approvals Amendment Bill, introduced on November 6, 2025, aims to accelerate major project consents, particularly for grocery retail, by cutting approval times by at least six weeks and reducing average processing to one year or less.
The bill streamlines the process through a one-stop application system, clarifies competition as a valid reason for fast-tracking, and empowers the infrastructure minister to issue policy statements on competition.
It also strengthens the MultiProof approvals regime and limits public and expert input, drawing criticism from Greenpeace, which calls it a threat to environmental protections and democratic oversight.
The bill passed its first reading and will now face review by the Environment Committee.
El nuevo proyecto de ley de Nueva Zelanda acelera las aprobaciones de proyectos importantes, especialmente para tiendas de comestibles, reduciendo el tiempo de procesamiento a un año o menos.