Fasttrack Partners

Process

A 6–12 month critical path.

Fast-track applications run several parallel workstreams. The risk is not any single workstream — it is the seams between them. Here is how we manage the seams.

Project workflow planning on a whiteboard with sticky notes
  1. 01
    Week 0–4

    Scope & strategy

    Confirm Schedule 2 status or referral pathway. Map workstreams. Identify and contract specialists. Lock baseline programme and budget. Risk register opened.

  2. 02
    Week 4–16

    Pre-lodgement engagement

    Structured consultation with EPA, DOC, councils, iwi authorities, NZTA, Heritage NZ, adjacent landowners. Issues logged and routed to the right specialist.

  3. 03
    Week 12–20

    Referral application

    Draft and lodge the referral arguing the project meets the regional or national benefit test. Coordinate supporting evidence and stakeholder letters.

  4. 04
    Week 16–32

    Substantive package build

    Specialists produce ecology, cultural impact, traffic, landscape, archaeology, economic, stormwater, geotech assessments. We assemble one consistent package with a unified document index.

  5. 05
    Week 32–36

    Substantive lodgement

    Quality-controlled package lodged with EPA. Internal review against panel expectations. Single point of contact established.

  6. 06
    Week 36–48

    Expert panel engagement

    Manage clarification requests, additional information requests, comment periods. Coordinate expert responses on tight turnarounds.

  7. 07
    Week 44–52

    Conditions & decision

    Review draft conditions, mark up, negotiate before the panel decides. Decision received. Post-decision compliance plan handed over.

Want this mapped against your project?

Send us your project description and we’ll come back with a critical-path programme and a budget band — no obligation.