The "horse has already bolted'' when it comes to the subdivision of rural land in the Wakatipu Basin, says a resource consent hearing commissioner.
In a decision approving the subdivision of prime rural land on Hogans Gully Rd near Arrowtown, Queenstown Lakes District Council commissioner Bob Nixon said the development would infill land in an area already "relatively intensively subdivided''.
"To some extent, the pattern of development which has evolved could be loosely described as a situation of the ‘horse having bolted','' Mr Nixon said.
Landowners Ian and Suzie Todd can now subdivide their 14ha, rural general-zoned property into seven lots.
Five will have building platforms, a sixth will incorporate their existing home, while the seventh will be sold to a neighbour as a condition of gaining their approval.
The proposal received the blessing of the Todds' neighbours - a who's who of Queenstown business including jewellery magnate Sir Michael Hill, the family of skifield and tourism mogul Sir John Davies, Skyline Enterprises chief executive Jeff Staniland and tourism industry veteran Andrew Brinsley.
Mrs Todd told the Otago Daily Times the commissioner's comments were accurate as the subdivision would simply bring their property in line with those of their neighbours.
"Our personal view is that the Wakatipu Basin is no longer a viable farming area, and is now more suitable to provide a residential lifestyle community.''
Gaining the consent had been a drawn-out process that came at considerable ‘‘personal, emotional and financial cost''.
In some cases, getting approval from their neighbours had required them to agree not to object to future development on their neighbours' land.
A council planner recommended the application be refused on the grounds it was a ‘‘creep'' of rural residential development in the rural general zone.
However, Mr Nixon said the subdivision did not amount to ‘‘urban sprawl''.
It would result in average lots sizes similar to those surrounding the Todds' property, many of which already had dwellings or approved building platforms.
A submission to the proposed district plan has revealed the Hill family want their land near Arrowtown to be zoned as a resort to enable the development of 100 houses or visitor-accommodation units.
Their company, Trojan Helmet, also made submissions to rezone two other rural blocks in the Arrowtown-Lake Hayes area to rural lifestyle land in order to develop up to 14 houses.
