Nick Smith, the Environment Minister of New Zealand has refereed a key change in plans to an independent Board of Inquiry so that the process of clearing gets speedier. The plan is about the Wellington's Transmission Gully highway.

He said that the New Zealand Transport Agency wants changes to be done in the Greater Wellington Regional Freshwater Plan and that too soon.

If the plans are accepted then it would pave way for another substantive plan- Transmission Gully, to get lodged by next year itself. This is a significant road project and will be said to impact Wellington directly.

The board is being chaired by Environment Court Judge Brian Dwyer and also includes the likes of other board members like Environment Commissioner Russell Howie, resource management consultant David McMahon, Canterbury engineering Professor Alan Nicholson and RMA and Tikanga Maori expert Glenice Paine.

The minister said that he has full faith in the board and that he is sure that it will be able to get down to some quality decision very soon. Time factor is of utmost importance so that work can begin within nine months.