Commissioners have given approval for a church to be built on the Frankton-Ladies Mile Highway.
David Whitney and Rachel Dimery have granted consent to the Otago Foundation Trust Board and Wakatipu Community Presbyterian Church to subdivide land zoned rural general, identify two residential building platforms on one lot and construct a church and indoor court.
''The commission is satisfied that the proposal will have substantial positive effects which outweigh any adverse effects associated with the proposed activity.''
The land is owned by the Hansen Family Partnership with which the church had a legal contract regarding one lot, on which it was proposed to build the church.
''The church is to be a substantial modern building that will contain facilities to meet the requirements of various congregations and community groups.
''The worship spaces include a large auditorium for 300 people that is expandable at a later stage to 500 people; and a smaller chapel for 70 to 100 people.''
It would also include smaller rooms, offices, ablutions, a mothers' room, kitchen and cafe to be used in conjunction with church and community activities.
The building had three ''significant roof forms'', including a middle clerestory, 12m high at the highest point, and 15m high tower which would feature a suspended cross between two of its eaves.
The church would provide a ''landmark'' while the suspended cross would create an ''identity marker for the community''.
''The commission simply notes that church towers and steeples are a feature of mature rural landscapes in other countries.''
While the church would be a large building, substantial built development was already present in the area and the commissioners were satisfied any effects on landscape and visual amenity would be no more than minor.
The half-basketball court had been designed to enable it to be expanded in the future.
That indoor court building also included changing rooms and ablutions, a kitchen and storage facilities and a mezzanine floor.
It was proposed to be built to the required standard to provide a Civil Defence welfare centre.
A total of 132 car parks and one coach park would be provided and access would temporarily be left-turn only from State Highway 6.
Permanent access would be provided from the proposed fourth leg of the Hawthorne Dr roundabout in the future.
