A resolution on the proposed second campus on Speargrass Flat Rd, near Arrowtown, to cater for 112 St Joseph's School pupils will not be made until the new year, after a date change for the High Court appeal.
The appeal by eight parties who either live nearby or own land next to the proposed Catholic campus site in Dalefield is now expected to be heard on March 12 and 13 in a temporary court venue to be notified in Christchurch.
Parties asked for priority last month for a hearing in the High Court at Invercargill to begin on Monday. However, the schedule changed about a week ago due to the availability of the venue, Queenstown lawyer and counsel for the school Russell Ibbotson said yesterday.
"It can be heard earlier in Christchurch than it can be in Invercargill, so we've agreed on the earlier Christchurch date," Mr Ibbotson said.
Justice John Fogarty was expected to preside at the appeal by the eight parties against the Environment Court decision in mid-May to grant resource consent for the proposed two-stage campus development.
James Gardner-Hopkins, a partner at Russell McVeigh, in Wellington, remained the counsel for the appellants.
The Bishop of Dunedin continued to be represented by senior counsel Paul Cavanagh QC, of Auckland, with Mr Ibbotson.
The notice of appeal lodged in late May alleged 46 errors and questions of law in the Environment Court's 35-page decision, including the compatibility of the school with the amenity and its rural-residential zone and the court's alleged failure to address traffic effects.
"There is no challenge to the factual issues as they were originally raised - earthworks, amenity, traffic etc," Mr Ibbotson said.
"The challenge is, did the Environment Court apply the relevant provisions of the district plan as they should have?"The planning for the provision of additional facilities for the school is critical for the bishop and the community and the process is progressing as quickly as can be achieved."
There were 151 pupils enrolled in St Joseph's School, Queenstown, yesterday, with one more to enrol next week.
The maximum roll was set at 175 pupils by the Ministry of Education.
The 2.6ha of rural residential-zoned pastoral land at 478 Speargrass Flat Rd would feature a 480sq m classroom block 5.2m high at its apex, and a 220sq m administration block 5.5m high at its apex.
The site originally had a lodge, which was earmarked as the school's second campus until it burned down in 2006.
