The directors of a five-star Queenstown bed and breakfast business who have applied for building rights on an adjoining block of land they own claim "bias and bigotry" against their gay relationship is one possible reason for a neighbour's opposition to the application.
Mike Harris and Bill Bailey run the White Shadows Country Inn in Hunter Rd, off Malaghans Rd between Queenstown and Arrowtown.
They have applied for building rights on a 2ha patch of land next door.
At a resource consent hearing in Queenstown this week before commissioners John Matthews and Cath Gilmour, Mr Bailey said opposition to their application from neighbours Brian and Pauline Bayley could be because of his gay relationship with Mr Harris.
"In summary, we cannot understand the Bayleys' numerous objections unless it is their bias and bigotry against Mike's and my 33-year personal relationship, which they have very negatively and vociferously denounced over the years to numerous neighbours and area professionals," Mr Bailey said.
In response, Mr Bayleydid not mention the applicants' personal relationship but in his submission said: "It appears that we are the neighbours from hell.
I feel like retaliating, but I'm not going to demean myself."
Mr Bayley said building on the land would be visually obtrusive and would fail the district plan's visual amenity assessment criteria.
He was sorry for sounding negative, but during the application process he had not had "any co-operation" from the applicants.
Two other Hunter Rd property owners also opposed the application. Gary Mahan said if the application was successful, it would "open the floodgates" to subdivision and building along Malaghans Rd.
However, after listening to information given at the hearing, he now had "no real concerns" for the proposed development.
John and Turi Edmonds said the proposed building area would be clearly visible from their property and driveway but Mr Edmonds said he could live with the development, as long as eight conditions were met by the applicant, including a limitation on the site to only be used for residential purposes, and the construction of a barrier which would block a building development from his view.
In an earlier assessment of the application, Lakes Environmental Ltd planner David Wallace opposed the proposal.
"Overall, the development as proposed will not result in sustainable development in the district and therefore it is considered inappropriate," Mr Wallace stated.
A decision was reserved.
