Developer's 1000-home fast-track bid for Pegasus golf course declined

Author: Mike Thorpe ,
Publish Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026, 8:54pm

Pegasus golf course was bought in a mortgagee sale by property developer Wolfbrook in May this year. Photo / Anna Heath

The controversial plan to redevelop the former Pegasus Golf Course into 1000 homes has hit a snag – being declined for fast-track referral.

Property owners Wolfbrook Residential applied for fast-track consideration last month after purchasing the 77.66ha North Canterbury property north of Christchurch in a mortgagee sale in May.

A decision was released on the Fast-track website today.

“The Minister for Infrastructure [Chris Bishop] did not refer the project to the Fast-track on 19 August 2026.

“If a project is not referred, the applicant may apply for referral again. This is considered a new application, subject to fees and charges,” the decision on the government website read.

Local MP Matt Doocey has publicly opposed the development and he welcomed the decision via social media, congratulating the Pegasus Residents Group.

Wolfbrook has been approached for comment.

Today’s decision came just hours before residents of Pegasus were planning to attend a public meeting held by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Christchurch.

The Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 offers a permanent process for obtaining resource consents and a wide range of other approvals. According to the government website, “Fast-track brings these together into a streamlined process”.

The process is limited to infrastructure, housing and development projects with significant regional or national benefits. It involves all relevant authorities – but only as submitters, not decision-makers.

The Minister for Infrastructure decides if projects are eligible for referral to the fast-track pathway.

If so, the applicant can lodge a substantive application. Expert panels then consider applications before determining whether projects are approved or declined. Decisions can be appealed on points of law to the High Court.

As of February, the fast-track process was taking an average of 128 days for decisions to be made on substantive applications from when officials determine an application is complete and in-scope.

The golf course is believed to have been purchased for about $7 million and industry-led estimates suggest a residential rezoning could increase that value to about $400m.

Among the opposition to the course’s proposed conversion is cricketing great Sir Richard Hadlee, a long-time resident and first official member of the Pegasus Golf Club.

Mike Thorpe is a senior multimedia journalist for the Herald, based in Christchurch. He has been a broadcast journalist across television and radio for 20 years and joined the Herald in August 2024.