Planned hotel’s height set to be leading issue

Public resource consent hearing starts on Monday

HEIGHT looms as a key issue when plans for what would be Dunedin’s tallest central city building go under the microscope next week.

A public resource consent hearing will begin on Monday, to consider arguments for and against the fivestar hotel and apartment tower proposed for Moray Pl.

Tekapo businessman Anthony Tosswill’s plan has attracted 265 submissions, including 206 opposed.

Supporters argued the hotel would deliver muchneeded economic benefits to the city, but opponents worried about its visual dominance, shading and blocked views.

A report by independent planner Nigel Bryce, to be considered at the hearing, has recommended consent be declined unless the developer agrees to a fourstorey ‘‘substantial reduction’’ in the building’s height.

An assessment by consultant urban designer Garth Falconer also acknowledged the height hurdles ahead of the project.

At 60m high, the 17storey hotel would be ‘‘significantly’’ the tallest building in the central city, exceeding the 50mhigh spires of St Paul’s Cathedral and the 10storey Forsyth Barr and Burns House buildings.

It would also stretch well beyond the 11m height limit set for the site in Dunedin’s district plan and the 16m limit proposed in the city’s secondgeneration district plan.

The hearing is expected to continue until Friday, but could make use of two further backup days if needed.

Mr Tosswill, in a statement released by his lawyer, Phil Page, has already ruled out a reduction in the hotel’s height, saying the project would ‘‘not be viable’’ with such a change.

The hearing starts at 9.30am in the Municipal Chambers’ Edinburgh Room.