April consent hearing for tennis academy
A PROPOSED tennis academy in a Queenstown special housing area will go before independent commissioners in April.
Bridesdale Farm Developments Ltd’s resource consent application for the Winton Tennis Academy was publicly notified last October and attracted 35 submissions: 25 in opposition and 10 in support.
The proposal is scheduled to go before independent commissioners in Queenstown on April 4 and 5.
The company, whose directors are Chris and Michaela Meehan, propose to construct eight courts, two of which would be indoor, or covered, the application said.
The academy would be operated as a ‘‘philanthropic venture’’ and have between four and eight students the first year, growing to 16 schoolage students within two years.
‘‘The intention is that students will graduate from the academy to gain scholarships to offshore universities.’’
The tennis centre was proposed within the lower Kawarau River terrace on Hayes Creek Rd, which was in the flood plane of the river, zoned rural general and was within the outstanding natural landscape classification.
The two indoor/covered courts would be on the south of the site. The eastern side of one court and western side of the other would have ‘‘a double height stack of shipping containers’’ as walls, which would have a variety of uses.
‘‘The lower level will be limited to storage and accessible toilet use . . . whilst the upper level of the containers will be modified to include a kitchenette, exercise equipment, meeting area, change rooms and further toilet area.
‘‘The containers will also be modified to provide an elevated viewing area, by removing part of the internal wall of these structures.’’
The outdoor courts would be aligned northsouth, using a ‘‘plexipave surface’’, and would be separated or edged by 2mhigh hedging.
Grassed mounds would be established around the perimeter of the courts for spectators to watch games and the westernmost mound would also include stackedstone schist walls providing more formal benched seating.
A central gathering site would include two steel shade structures, which would also provide seating.
The application said the academy would operate between 6am and 10pm daily, but would not operate continuously throughout the day.
Outdoor courts would be available for local residents to use free, two hours a day.
A total of 20 car parks are proposed — seven would be on an asphalt surface and the remainder on a gravel overflow parking area beside the main entrance.