But any celebrations were on hold, The Hills chief executive Sam Gent said, until "the horse is comfortably in the stable", that is, if no appeals are lodged within the next 15 days.
The commissioners' lengthy and detailed decision states 15 of the 17 dwellings, all located on the southern side of the golf course, which is used for pastoral farming, would be used as visitor accommodation.
The new lots would range in size from 3639sq m to 1.22ha, with lot 17 - at the moment remaining unbuilt - at 40.37ha.
The commissioners said there were many positive aspects to Mr Hill's proposal, one of which was the "direct environmental benefits".
"The specific way that the proposal before us is designed, to blend in with existing landscape form, and to create further consistent form where necessary, is an alternative form of development to that which so frequently comes before the consent authority - where houses are proposed to be placed on to the landscape rather than blended in with it.
"There are direct environmental benefits in undertaking development in the way which is proposed by the applicant."
The development would enable the site to be enjoyed without imposing "an obvious presence of further housing, as would have been the case had the proposal been merely to develop 17 houses on the surface of the land, or only partially set within it".
Both commissioners concluded the development would not be highly visible from any public places, and visibility from any public road was "limited".
Additionally, "very stringent controls" were proposed on the use of each house site.
Those controls meant aside from placing outdoor furniture - including a barbecues - on a limited sized area around each house "virtually nothing else can occur".
"Use of the house lots for the normal trappings of domesticity such as trampolines, spa pools and so forth will be prohibited."
Planting and other development would also be "severely restricted" and property maintenance would be carried out by The Hills.
While it was estimated 62,000cu m of cut and fill - "a substantial amount" - was required to create the building platforms, the commissioners acknowledged it was "extremely unlikely" The Hills would exercise the entire consent at one time.
The development would also include a public recreation area on the McDonnell Rd frontage, created by The Hills and maintained by it in perpetuity.
That had been proposed in lieu of a public walking or cycling track through The Hills property "which the applicant regards as inconsistent with a golf course of private membership, not only for reasons of privacy, but also safety".
In total, 45 conditions have been imposed for the two consents.
"The works involved in the proposal are extensive and will bring economic benefits . . . the houses proposed will create attractive living environments, and the presence of the houses proposed for the perimeter of the golf course will, in our opinion, add to the amenity of the course whilst at the same time being consistent with the generally accepted presence of high-quality homes on international championship golf courses around the world."
Thirty-four submissions were received - 24 in support, 17 against and three neither in support nor opposition.
