Two of first three farm to forest applications under new rules declined

Two of first three farm to forest applications under new rules declined
The first batch of decisions from August has been released. (Image: Depositphotos)
Victoria Young
The Overseas Investment Office (OIO) has refused two of the first three applications made under new rules for farm-to-forestry conversions. The land regulator has had 18 foreign applications to buy farmland to convert to forestry, and today released the first batch of decisions was released from August. The successful applicant was UK-based Enterprise Investments WRI, which sought consent to buy 237 hectares of land in the Bay of Plenty. The land was used for grazing cattle but would be converted to farm 180ha of radiata pine tre...