23 June: Foreign-owned coal company Bathurst Resources has postponed submitting its fast-track application to mine 20 million tonnes of coal on the Denniston Plateau by over four months. Opponents claim the delay represents increasing uncertainty and a setback to the controversial mine – formally known as ‘Application FTA235 – Buller Plateaux Continuation Project’.

In a March 18 presentation to the West Coast Conservation Board, Bathurst had indicated a targeted lodgement date of ‘late June‘. But in a 12 June update to the New Zealand Conservation Authority, Bathurst now says it will not lodge the application until November 2025 – a delay of over four months. Bathurst’s own presentation cited concerns of ‘social license’ to operate, and noted that multiple fast-track applications have been ‘sent back’ due to inadequate consultation.

The application delay follows escalating public opposition, including over 70 protestors camping in the proposed mine footprint, Forest & Bird launching a national campaign, and six coal-bucket activists halting coal removal from Stockton mine for 60 hours. A recent ‘week of action’ also resulted in 11 protests across the country calling on ANZ to cut ties with Bathurst.

Coal Action Network Aotearoa’s Tim Jones says the delay shows “the wheels are falling off Bathurst Resources’ coal mining on kiwi habitat agenda.”

“Bathurst’s house-of-cards coal proposal is wobbling in the wind – and every gust of public pressure brings it closer to collapse. Escalating uncertainty and delay is dragging the application process closer to the 2026 election and the real possibility of a new government less willing to greenlight coal mines on kiwi habitat. Bathurst’s desperate attempt to fast-track the biggest coal mine in NZ history is looking less feasible by the day,” says Jones.

“This delay gives us time — and you bet we will be using it,” says 350 Aotearoa campaigner Adam Currie. “Opposition to Bathurst’s monstrous mine is getting stronger by the day. We’re fast building momentum against the biggest coal proposal in New Zealand’s history. If approved, it would belch out climate pollution equivalent to New Zealand’s entire annual emissions and permanently scar a precious ecological treasure trove.”

ENDS

• Formal details about the fast-track application can be found  here. 
• More information about the coal proposal can be found here. 
• Forest & Bird’s Q & A about the Denniston mine proposal can be found here.