Rezone plan for station not backed

A HEARING panel of independent commissioners has recommended the Queenstown Lakes District Council reject a proposal to rezone Glendhu Station from a rural zone to a special zone.

The proposed rezoning was sought by Glendhu Bay Trustees Ltd on four separate properties with a combined area of 2834ha, with the new special zone to be called the Glendhu Station zone.

The area is zoned rural and classified an outstanding natural landscape (ONL) under the proposed district plan.

In its submission, the Glendhu Bay Trustees said the purpose of the special zone would be to provide residential and visitor accommodation, multiple recreational and tourist activities, including an 18hole championship golf course, all within in a rural setting.

The golf course and 43 residences were granted resource consent in 2012 following an Environment Court hearing.

However, in the proposed Glendhu Station zone, the number of residences would increase, the present Glendhu Bay camping ground would expand across Mount Aspiring Rd, and a ‘‘farm homestead activity area’’ would be created to host ‘‘conferences, events and functions’’ and more.

The proposal also sought to remove the area’s outstanding natural landscape classification.

The submission attracted strong opposition at a hearing last June, including that of Julian Haworth, of the Upper Clutha Environmental Society.

In his further submission, Mr Haworth argued that if the land was rezoned it would ‘‘permit subdivision and/or development that will result in highly significant and adverse effects on landscape values compared with those likely to gain consent under the existing zoning’’.

Hearing panel chairman Trevor Robinson said in the commissioners report the proposed rezoning had ‘‘fundamental problems’’, particularly as it ‘‘was premised on the existing consent not providing a workable basis on which to undertake the proposed development’’.

Mr Robinson concluded the proposal should be rejected as the ‘‘special zone fails to appropriately recognise and provide for protection of the ONL from inappropriate subdivision, use and development, or to adequately manage other potential adverse effects resulting from the proposed development of the site’’.

Queenstown Lakes councillors will decide at today’s council meeting whether to accept the recommendation.