The decision said the plan did not control discharge of contaminants from farming and other activities, which led to significant adverse effects on aquatic life, and the regulation of farming activities had a disproportionately greater adverse effect on water quality; namely intensive winter grazing, pasture-based wintering and sacrifice paddocks.
The Southland Regional Council (Environment Southland), Southland Federated Farmers, Fonterra and Dairy NZ are now appealing the decision.
The High Court approved an application from Fish & Game and Forest & Bird that the trio of appeals be dealt with together, as a priority fixture.
It said the Water and Land Plan is of major consequence for Southland and it was in the interests of justice that such an influential document be finalised as quickly as justly possible.
A time for a three-day hearing was yet to be determined.
