An interim agreement has been reached between the Central Otago District Council and Claudleigh Estate vineyard on issues surrounding the redesignation of land at Clyde for a wastewater treatment plant.
Earlier this year, the council applied for and was granted redesignation of the 5.3855ha site. The previous designation lapsed in 1998.
George and Nickie Gallagher, who own Claudleigh Estate Ltd, a vineyard on Muttontown Rd beside the council land, appealed the decision to the Environment Court and the two parties recently went to mediation.
Environment Court case manager Chris Jordan said an interim agreement had been reached and the council had been asked to consider three options and report back by December 1.
The land redesignation had drawn considerable opposition.
Twenty-nine submitters opposed the application, one was in favour and two were neutral.
Mr and Mrs Gallagher had told hearing commissioner John Matthews an independent valuer had suggested the value of properties in the area could drop by 45%-55% if the sought after designation was put in place, and that was before a wastewater plant had even been built on the site.
Residents were concerned at the idea of a blanket authority to grant a designation for an as yet undetermined plant. They were concerned about the size of a plant, and how it would look from the nearby Otago Central Rail Trail, and from the Clyde hill.
Residents had expressed concern over the impact on the value of their properties and raised questions about soil type and whether the land would be suitable for a wastewater treatment facility.
