Dunedin Gasworks Museum supporters are happy with the outcome of their mediated settlement with supermarket giant Progressive Enterprises, and the changes made to its proposed next-door Countdown store.
"We had lengthy negotiations with Progressive Enterprises," gasworks museum trust chairman Barry Clarke said yesterday.
"They modified their plans in accordance with our requests. They were really very helpful and constructive."
Progressive said yesterday it planned to begin construction of the supermarket in the third quarter of 2011.
A decision to grant resource consent for the supermarket has been released by the Environment Court, after a mediated settlement.
The issue began earlier this year, when Progressive Enterprises announced its plan to establish a Countdown outlet on a 1.1ha site beside the gasworks museum, on a former car sales yard bordering Andersons Bay Rd.
At hearings in March, a committee of city councillors Richard Walls and Kate Wilson and commissioner David Benson-Pope heard concerns from gasworks museum supporters the back wall of the supermarket would irrevocably change the setting of the museum and block sunlight during winter months.
In April, the committee rejected the company's application.
Progressive Enterprises appealed the decision to the Environment Court and, earlier this month, it was announced the parties involved had signed a draft consent order after mediation, meaning an Environment Court hearing was called off.
The decision, from Judge Jon Jackson, gave rulings on 38 aspects of the development, in areas of heritage, site contamination, services, engineering plans, traffic and parking, staff travel and signage.
Those included changes to the roof and walls of the supermarket on its south and southwest side, near the museum.
It said two car parks should be moved to allow a courtyard area and a pedestrian link between the supermarket and museum, with the designs to be done in consultation with the museum trust.
Judge Jackson also ruled a remedial action plan for contaminants should be developed in consultation with nearby businesses Nova Gas and Rockgas, and traffic management plans should be developed.
New Zealand Historic Places Trust Otago-Southland area manager Owen Graham said the trust worked alongside the museum during the consent process and mediation to promote a better heritage outcome.
Mr Graham said there were compromises, but the outcome was the best that could have been achieved.
Mr Clarke said the company may not have realised there was a "significant museum" next door when it developed the original plans, but since then representatives had done everything in their power to make the building satisfactory to its neighbour.
"They made quite generous offers of assistance," he said.
Progressive's property general manager, Adrian Walker, said yesterday through a spokeswoman now consent had been approved, detailed construction drawings would be put together.
Mr Walker, who is based in Auckland, said he was "very comfortable" with the consent, and the mediation process.
