Retail complex hits a snag
A bid to change resource consent conditions for the large retail complex at Timaru’s Showgrounds Hill has ground to a halt with the developer told to get Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency approval for some variations proposed.
As a result the application to change the land use consent, lodged with the Timaru District Council in May, has been placed on hold by the council until further information can be provided.
‘‘The clock is stopped on the consent process until this information is provided by the applicant,’’ council communications manager Stephen Doran said.
One of the changes sought is make one of three single storey buildings in stage one, alongside Evans St/State Highway 1, double storey.
The Timaru Herald understands part of this building was leased to the nationwide Lone Star franchise.
The council has asked the developer, Redwood Group, to reassess the requested variation to the two-storey building proposal which will bring the upper level within 1.5 metres of the state highway and potentially less, if a parapet sun awning/screen on the building is confirmed.
The council’s response states the District Plan specifies ‘‘a building setback of a minimum depth of 5m shall be required from the road edge and from any designation in place for the purposes of road widening’’.
The council said the width of the parapet sun awning/screen on the building is 1.5m in the proposed plans, which would extend to the boundary of the state highway.
The response, prepared for the council by John Cook, of Planning Solutions Limited, says those proposed changes have the potential to adversely impact Waka Kotahi, which is responsible for the state highway network, and confirmed the Crown entity as having ‘‘affected persons’ status’’.
‘‘It is therefore being required that you obtain their affected persons consent in order to deal with this particular matter.’’
The council has also asked the developer for more information on the proposed enlargement of the pylon signage.
The variation application proposes that the two preapproved Type A pylon signs be enlarged by 1m in height (to 15m) and 1.7m (to 5.7m) in width.
The district plan’s industrial zones rule states that the maximum building height permitted in the zone is 12 metres.
The council said, on this basis and given that the already approved 14m high pylon signs will be 2m higher than this, adding a further 1m in height will enable this structure to be viewed from far beyond the subject property.
‘‘I suspect gauging from an examination of Google Maps/ Street View that even at a height
of 14 metres this will be the tallest structure in this immediate urban locality,’’ Cook said.
The council has asked for information on what situation has arisen that has brought about the sought-after increase in the pylon sign height by a further metre.
The developer has also been asked if the two revised pylon signs will be illuminated, and whether that would be internally or externally.
The council noted the revised layout has concentrated most of the proposed restaurant floor areas to be located in the northwest portion of the development.
‘‘Given that this portion of the overall development is currently being undertaken as ‘stage 1’, can you please provide further information that ensures compliance with the various provisions in the District Plan Rule . . . (restaurants).’’
Cook’s letter to the developer says once the requested information has been provided and accepted by the council, it will then be in a position to determine whether the variation application needs to be notified .
Timaru CBD Group chairperson Allan Booth and
Timaru Town Centre Ratepayers’ Action Group spokesperson Shaun Stockman have raised concerns about the impact of any changes on the CBD.
Booth said the CBD group believed requests to change the land use consent would be ongoing,‘‘effectively allowing the death by a thousand cuts of our CBD.’’
Stockman described any variation to the resource consent as a ‘‘huge pimple on the Timaru District Council’s integrity’’.
‘‘The conditions were put in place to protect the core CBD, and it’s now quite clear that it’s up to the Timaru District Council to protect the CBD.
‘‘They need to stand by their word and promises,’’ he said.
‘‘[The council] need to stand by their word and promises.’’
Shaun Stockman