The Queenstown Lakes District Council is seeking submissions on how to deal with noise in the central business district with an eye to changing the district plan, depending on the feedback.
Key questions include whether the noise limit should be increased, what kind of uses should be permitted in the CBD and if noise-sensitive activities, such as visitor and residential accommodation, should be limited there.
Joe Dodgshun asked some of the parties affected for their opinions on the issue.
"The last council appeared to be collectively incapable of understanding that excessive noise is not the making of a tourist town and, in fact, it could easily turn downtown into a hellhole.
"Councillor Mann's advocacy for greater liberalism is basically flawed and is likely to do much more harm than good.
"I hope that the newly elected council don't waste valuable time and money with pandering to the claims of bars and restaurant proprietors who are looking for the opportunity to use this as the magnet to draw new clientele.
"The reverse effect will happen as the up to 2500 visitors and residents living in the CBD suffer sleep deprivation, and again, I reiterate the real problem is that people sleeping in residential accommodation in the CBD have no escape from excessive noise."
"Well, we are next to a pub - the Dux De Lux. They don't do it any more, but they used to have people playing outside in the weekend.
"We are a high-end restaurant and it's difficult to have a band playing rock and reggae when you are having a high-end meal. But it's all good. We just have to be respectful of each other's business.
"It does not affect me personally as it does not affect our business any more. However, Queenstown is viewed already as full of backpackers, with crazy, drunk people throwing up and any more of this is not good for the image.
"I guess for people living here, it [increase in noise levels] would not benefit them."
QLDC councillor John Mann
"I'm a member of the working party who will be looking at the consultations and putting the consultation document together, and we need to first look and listen to the submissions for the plan change.
"We have a conflict of quite legitimate interests in the CBD - the noise generators and the noise-sensitive parties. What I am advocating is that we need to solve this.
"Warren is a little wide of the mark - I have been advocating for some time that there is an issue that needs addressing and I certainly stand by that.
"I think it's wide of the mark to suggest that I have a predetermined position on this and I am disappointed that Warren would think that.
"I have been an advocate for addressing the issue for six years and I know it's not going to be easy."
Dux De Lux operations manager Ross Herrick
"As far as the business is concerned, I think that people have to remember this is the central business district, this is the centre of Queenstown.
"There are places for accommodating people and I think that the CBD should be left not solely, but predominantly for the activities that people come to Queenstown for, the jet-boating, the bars and things like that."
• The full Noise in Central Queenstown discussion document and feedback form is available from the QLDC website, http://www.qldc.govt.nz/home
