Road for proposed Waterfall Park development approved
COMMISSIONERS have given approval for Waterfall Park Developments Ltd to construct a new 870m road to access a proposed development.
The company, linked to Queenstown developers Chris and Michaela Meehan, applied for consent for the private road in November last year to provide access from the ArrowtownLake Hayes road across rural general land, to the Waterfall Park Resort Zone.
Winton Partners, another company associated with the couple, in April announced plans to build a ‘‘fourplus star’’ 380room hotel, conference centre and restaurants for an undisclosed cost on its 58ha site.
In their decision, issued on Friday, commissioners David Mead and Robert Nixon said the road application attracted 12 submissions, 10 of those in opposition.
Some of the concerns were that approving the road would compromise or undermine the ability of the Queenstown Lakes District Council to decline future proposals for residential development on the site; there were alternative access options available to the site; the construction and establishment of the road would exacerbate flood risk and result in sedimentation and contamination in Mill Creek and in Lake Hayes downstream; and it was ‘‘premature’’, given consent for the development proper had not been granted.
At the hearing in May, lawyer Warwick Goldsmith submitted adequate road access to the zone was considered necessary, regardless of whether the proposed Waterfall Park development was consented or built.
‘‘In other words — and this is a crucial point — the applicant considers the road is necessary, having regard to the zones provisions and council’s road construction standards.
‘‘A number of submitters saw the application as a stalking horse for expanded development within the application site itself.
‘‘The submitters . . . contended that by consenting the road, a major step towards rezoning would be taken, along with the loss of . . . a de facto green belt between Arrowtown and the rural lifestyle block to the south . . .’’
The commissioners said it was ‘‘apparent’’ even if the zone was developed in accordance with existing rules, alternative road access would be required.
‘‘Unless there is another option available . . . land in that zone cannot be developed when regard is had to the roading standards required by council.’’
The commissioners were also ‘‘not convinced’’ the application should be deferred to coincide with either the consent for the Waterfall Park hotel or, potentially, the proposed district plan being finalised.
In deciding to grant consent, they found the road, with conditions, would not have adverse environmental effects which were any more than minor and it was not contrary to objectives or policies of the operative or proposed district plans.
They said it was needed to provide adequate and safe legal access for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians to the zone, and subject to the appropriate landscape treatment, adverse visual and landscape effects could be adequately mitigated.
Further, construction and functioning of the road would not impact on the ecology of Mill Creek given the ‘‘significant enhancement planting’’ proposed.
One consent condition was for a final earthworks management plan be prepared detailing measures to control sediment runoff, avoid effects on Mill Creek and ensure compliance with Otago Regional Council standards.