Riccarton Bush-Kilmarnock Residents’ Association chairman Tony Simons said he was concerned about the delay between objections being raised and being heard.
However, city council head of regulatory compliance Tracey Weston denied there was any significant delay.
“The time period for processing an alcohol licence application must allow for public notification, processing, statutory reporting, and issuing of a district licensing committee decision,” Weston said.
“It usually takes a number of weeks for these steps to occur, and the time period will be extended where objections from the public are received.”
There were 12 objections made, including one from the residents’ association.
The public notice period closed on October 6, and the committee considered preliminary issues relating to late objections in early November, Weston said.
A health report was made on December 2 and the licensing inspector reported on the application and forwarded it to the committee on January 15.
“Taking into account the statutory non-reporting period from 20 December to 15 January, there have been no significant delays with this application.”
It was unknown when a substantive hearing would be held, she said.
Simons assumed the lack of contact following the association’s objection meant the application had been dropped until he received an update from the committee last week.
It would have been good if objectors had been kept informed that the process was likely to take at least six months, he said.
“I think the entire process takes too long.”
