No decision on consent for helipad

THE lawyer for a billionaire wanting consent to operate a helipad from his Malaghans Road home, says he is ‘‘struggling to see why this is attracting so much attention’’.

Commissioners Rachel Dimery of Auckland and Wendy Baker of Arrowtown spent more than eight hours on Thursday hearing evidence relating to an application from Tim Roberts to operate his Bell 429 Global Ranger helicopter to and from his property up to 120 times a year.

While his lawyer Andrew Beatson said it appeared as though the response to Mr Roberts’ application was a ‘‘storm in a teacup’’, neighbours in opposition were concerned about the potential impact on the amenity values of the rural area and cumulative effects.

Mr Roberts, resident since June last year, sought the consent to access properties he owns at Halfway Bay and Walter Peak — the latter a ‘‘four to fivehour drive each way’’.

The application had included a one minute warmup and cooldown period at Malaghans Rd, however, that was put forward on a ‘‘pragmatic’’ basis.

Mr Roberts said before takeoff the helicopter would be in ‘‘ground idle’’ for 50 seconds, during which the noise was likely to be below 50dB.

There would be 10 seconds of ‘‘flight idle’’ and once it lifted off it would be above 500 feet ‘‘no more than 20 seconds later’’.

‘‘We’re talking about some 30 seconds of impact, and of that impact some . . . 20 seconds is actually a decreasing impact as it follows the flight path.’’

Acoustic engineer Dr Jeremy Trevathan said, typically, the helicopter would have a noise level above 50dB for 65 seconds, four times a day, while planner John Edmonds said concerns about cumulative effects were unfounded because there was one other helipad ‘‘in the area’’.

It belonged to Andrew Fairfax and was located 3.5km away from Mr Roberts — that consent had not been given effect to.

However, Hunter Rd resident Shelly Dawson said it was ‘‘not appropriate to have this activity in a rural area’’.

Ms Dawson told commissioners she saw no reason for Mr Roberts’ desires to override the amenity, enjoyment and ‘‘right to peace and quiet’’ of his neighbours, affected parties, basin users and the wider community.

She submitted it would be more appropriate for Mr Roberts to use Queenstown Airport as his takeoff and landing site.

Also in opposition were neighbours Allister and Diane Saville.

Their lawyer, James GardnerHopkins, sought for consent to be refused because the application was ‘‘fundamentally flawed’’ and had been assessed and put forward on ‘‘several erroneous bases’’.

He contended it was contrary to relevant objectives and policies in the operative and proposed district plans when ‘‘fairly considered as a whole’’ and that it had ‘‘more than minor effects, particularly on immediate neighbours’’.

The commissioners adjourned the hearing for Mr Beatson to provide a right of reply.