Oamaru's de Geest Properties Ltd has gained land-use resource consent for the site at 70 Reed St.
The company's director, Brian Linn de Geest, would not comment on the project when contacted by the Otago Daily Times.
A Waitaki District Council document, dated March 22, showed that de Geest Properties Ltd gained consent to establish and operate visitor accommodation for up to 110 guests.
The resource consent application, produced by Michael Forgie on behalf of Forgie Hollows and Associates Ltd, sought for confirmation by the council the resource consent would be treated as ''non-notified''.
The resource consent application sought permission to establish motel accommodation within the existing buildings on the Reed St property.
The former convent building would be turned into the motel's reception area as well as accommodation and 55 other existing rooms would also be turned into guest accommodation.
The application stated de Geest Properties Ltd was aware consultation with Heritage New Zealand would have to take place and resource consent obtained from the council for any further additions or alterations to the building.
Minimal signage was proposed and expected to be of the same scale as the existing Rendell on Reed material, it said.
The council document said the site was zoned residential in the district plan and contained historically significant buildings.
The resource consent application said there would be no alterations or additions to the buildings or site at this stage.
It also claimed there would be no noise, lighting or significant visual effects resulting from the proposed activity.
Consultation on the motel transition included interaction with the current Rendell on Reed manager, but talks with the would-be neighbours had been minimal, the application said.
''Given the commercially sensitive nature of the proposal, the less than minor adverse effects and the reduction in potential adverse effects from the existing activity, the applicant has kept consultation to a minimum at this stage.''
