On Tuesday, during an Environment Court appeal hearing forthe Northlake Special Zone, Queenstown-based developer Chris Meehan said Mr Dippie controlled most of Wanaka's land supply and chose to ''limit supply'' to increase prices.
Mr Meehan's wife, Michaela Ward Meehan, requested the plan change for Northlake.
Mr Dippie, director of Willowridge Developments, told the Otago Daily Times he considered Mr Meehan's comments ''both defamatory and untrue'' and ''hardly the standard of evidence one would expect in an Environment Court hearing''.
''Chris Meehan is either deliberately misleading the court or is plainly ill-informed - or maybe both. In any event, his rather personal attack on me is unfounded and unfortunate.
''Mr Meehan doesn't appear to have a very in-depth knowledge of the local Wanaka market. That is no excuse, however, because such knowledge is easily obtainable.''
Mr Dippie said Willowridge's share of section sales over the past 10 years was less than 20% of the total market and there was a long history of multiple companies competing to supply land in Wanaka - one of the most competitive property development markets in New Zealand.
His companies' sections were among the most affordable in the district and had offered a ''slight oversupply'' for many years, rather than undersupplying the market.
''Most other companies have also had plenty of sections for sale.''
Wanaka was fortunate to have more zoned land than ever before in which to grow and plenty of companies wishing to develop it as required, Mr Dippie said.
''Sensible town planning is needed to ensure the town grows in a well-planned and sustainable way and I'm sure that will continue to be the case.''
