An environmental group is to legally challenge land use consents for proposed intensive dairy farms in the Mackenzie Basin.
Three companies want to establish cubicle dairy farms which would house almost 18,000 cows indoors for most of the year.
The Environmental Defence Society says Waitaki District Council should not have granted the companies consent to use the land for the proposed farms.
Chair Gary Taylor says the consents were not notified, so the public could not have its say, despite the significant level of public interest.
Proceedings will be filed in the High Court in Timaru next week.
The Government has set up a board of inquiry to decide separate applications to discharge effluent from the farms.
