Development of the 58ha Kirimoko block faces a delay until early next year, following the decision of two neighbours to appeal parts of a decision by three Queenstown Lakes commissioners to approve a zone change.
QLDC senior policy analyst Alyson Hutton confirmed this week Coastal Land Trust Holdings and Allenby Farms had lodged appeals against the zone change for the block on Aubrey Rd.
Both companies were submitters during the zone change process and own large blocks of rural land near Kirimoko.
The zone change, granting development rights for up to 350 lots, was approved in April by commissioners David Collins, Leigh Overton and Gillian McLeod.
Council planners and the 13 lot owners liaised for more than three years before reaching agreement on changing the rural general designation to a mixture of low and high density housing.
The popular Sticky Forest, popular with mountain bikers, is on three of the 13 lots.
Mrs Hutton had hoped the zone change would operate from next month.
"We have to wait a bit now, to see if any other parties will want to join on to the appeal. In a couple of months, it will be called to the Environment Court to see if they want to mediate. If they do, it could take another month to have that... But I am not anticipating notifying the change until early next year," Mrs Hutton said.
Coastal Land Trust Holdings is a company associated with Queenstown developer John Darby.
It owns the nearby Urquhart block, near the Outlet, and recently banned trail bike riders from using the land.
The company intends a comprehensive development in the future but has not applied for consent yet.
Allenby Farms is associated with the Cleugh family, which has provided the substantial Allenby Farms subdivision at the foot of Mt Iron.
Both companies want an integrated network of roads, walkways and reserves between their developments and Kirimoko.
The commissioners decided they did not have jurisdiction to include nearby rural general properties in the rezoning.
A comprehensive analysis of the surrounding areas had been achieved in Wanaka 2020 workshops and during the Wanaka Structure Plan process.
The Kirimoko block analysis had been robust and further studies were not necessary to complete the plan change, the commissioners said.
The appellants say the commissioners erred in making those comments.
They do not seek to overturn the entire decision but want the court to amend the Kirimoko zone "to provide for a greater level of integration".
