The Environment Court granted resource consent and dismissed appeals in a decision released this week regarding the proposed second school site to be operated by St Joseph's School, in Queenstown.
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 external materials and colour palette were designed to be "sympathetic" to the environment, the decision by Judge Melanie Harland said.
The school layout would include a playing field, hard-court area and a driveway and car park-bus turning area, with 43 car parks provided and a set-down area for buses transporting pupils.
Planting, earth mounds and fences at various places around the site were proposed to help mitigate noise and visual effects.
The two-stage development would eventually cater for 112 pupils, in years 1 to 6, from Arrowtown, Lake Hayes and the outer Wakatipu area, taught by up to 14 staff. Years 1 to 6 pupils from Queenstown and all year 7 and 8 pupils would continue to attend St Joseph's School.
St Joseph's board of trustees chairman Rene Kampman said the "school and community are absolutely delighted with the decision and that it's finally come out.
"It's been an incredibly long time coming ... [The Catholic Education Office] acquired the block back in 2006.
"They build the school, we run it. Next we'll have a meeting with the Catholic Education Office to see what their timing is, in the next two weeks."
A hearing chaired by Judge Harland and commissioners Marlene Oliver and Heather McConachy was convened in Queenstown, on September 30 and into early October last year.
The court heard the appeal by Ayburn Farm Estates Ltd, with 10 neighbouring residents and landowners as parties, against the land use consent granted to the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Dunedin by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, in June 2009.
Opposing parties included former district councillor and planning commissioner David Clarke, former council planner Gemma Davis, council planner Scott Figenshow, Lakes District Hospital manager Norman Gray, Skyline co-director Phillip Hensman and artist Brian Millard.
The 10 parties appealed on grounds including perceived traffic and noise increases and loss of amenity.
Mr Parker was unavailable for comment yesterday, on whether his clients would appeal.
