Meridian
says
it
is
withdrawing
consent
applications
for
the
proposed
NZ$2bn
($1.6bn)
wind
farm,
known
as
Project
Hayes,
following
a
review
of
its
renewable
development
portfolio.
The
development
in
the
Central
Otago
region
of
New
Zealand's
South
Island
would
have
been
the
nation’s
biggest
wind
farm.
But
the
176-turbine
project
encountered
determined
opposition
because
of
its
location
in
an
area
of
natural
beauty.
Meridian
launched
the
project
in
2006
and
won
local
planning
consents
the
following
year.
But
appeals
forced
the
project
back
to
New
Zealand’s
Environmental
Court
and
it
has
remained…
