An application for consent to change the titles of 21 travellers' accommodation units at Lowburn to residential unit titles has been turned down by the Central Otago District Council (CODC) planning committee and the company has already appealed the decision to the Environment Court.
Waterline Lowburn Ltd wanted to change the designation of its already consented travellers' accommodation on the corner of State Highway 6 and Lowburn Valley Rd to residential units with individual titles, which could also be managed as travellers' accommodation by an external management entity.
The original application granted in October 2007 was for land use to develop a travellers' accommodation complex with 26 units in a two-storey 20-unit building plus a two-storey manager's office-flat.
The units would be built beside a restaurant and bar, which already had consent, and form a commercial unit.
The land had been set aside to rebuild the old Lowburn Ferry Hotel, which disappeared under the rising waters of Lake Dunstan.
In refusing the consent, the council said the community would lose the benefit of travellers' accommodation, which was what the the land had been set aside for.
There was a distinction between travellers' accommodation and residential use, because travellers were likely to visit for a short time with limited personal effects, while permanent owner-occupiers were likely to have a range of possessions including vehicles, and recreational equipment that required outside storage.
