The High Court in Wellington has granted an urgent review of the Department of Conservation's decision to grant the Ruataniwha Dam land swap.
The proposed Ruataniwha Dam would be built on this site in Hawke's Bay. Photo: RNZ / Peter Fowler
The conservation group Forest and Bird sought the review after DOC agreed to exchange 22 hectares of conservation land from Ruahine Forest Park in return for 170 hectares of farm land.
In a minute issued by the court on Friday, Justice David Collins said an urgent fixture was warranted because of the financial implications of any delays to the Ruataniwha Scheme.
He said the court would do what it could to accommodate the two-day hearing before the end of the year.