Hearing definite for River Terrace housing proposal

A HEARING will be held for an application for a plan change to rezone land to allow an 840house development near Cromwell, but the date is still to be set, Central Otago District Council executive manager planning and environment Louise van der Voort has confirmed.

In April the council accepted a request from River Terrace Developments for a private plan change to change the zoning of the land, which is on the corner of State Highway 6 and Sandflat Rd, opposite Highlands Motorsport Park and near the Central Motor Speedway.

About 400 submissions on the application were received, about 95% of which opposed the plan, the Otago Daily Times reported last month.

Ms van der Voort said the council was still analysing the submissions, and no date for a hearing had been set, but she said a hearing would definitely be held.

River Terrace Developments Ltd, owned by Chris and Michaela Meehan, of Queenstown, has requested the plan change for 49ha of land they want to use for houses, a retirement village, cafes, restaurants, shops, a medical centre and possibly a school.

Submissions against the application have come from Public Health South and Horticulture New Zealand, as well as the Otago Regional Council, which has requested a decline unless the district council was satisfied the projected demand on reticulated services for potable water and wastewater was sustainable.

The Ministry of Education’s submission was neutral but said the level of development would be ‘‘insufficient’’ to justify a state school.

Highlands also opposes the application, and the company’s plans for an 18hole golf course had been put on hold until the outcome of the plan change was known, Highlands chief executive officer Josie Spillane said in June.