A dispute involving consent for the construction of two dwellings and associated buildings at St Bathans will not be resolved until early next year, unless parties can successfully mediate within the next five weeks.
Environment Court judge Jon Jackson said an appeal hearing on the matter would be pencilled in for the last week in January or first week of February, unless mediation was successful before May 29.
At a pre-hearing conference in Alexandra recently, he gave parties a six-month schedule for preparing and circulating evidence in case a hearing was required.
Applicants David Ford and Kimmer Griffith, of Naseby, were granted consent to build in a rural resource area subject to outstanding landscape value, at St Bathans, by the Central Otago District Council in March 2008.
The development site is close to the St Bathans Historic Precinct, and the aplication was opposed by individuals and groups including the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and St Bathans Heritage and Environment Preservation Trust.
Others supported the development and said it would be an asset to the village.
Some feared it would diminish the cultural and heritage value of the area.
Judge Jackson heard from party representatives at the conference, during which it was agreed mediation was preferred to court proceedings.
The trust's counsel, Russell Ibbotson, said amended development plans had come from a previous mediation, but they were not acceptable to the trust.
Mrs Griffith said she was prepared to mediate further on minor details, although a hearing would be necessary if opposition to the amended plan was major.
"At this point this has to come to an end. I would like to address it as soon as possible," she said.
After May 29, parties will give evidence by successive deadlines, which will end on November 27.
