The consent process for the $125 million Queenstown Gateway shopping and entertainment complex at Five Mile is on hold, resource consent body Lakes Environmental said.
New Five Mile developer Tony Gapes in August told the Otago Daily Times he hoped construction of stage one of the complex, worth $70 million, would begin at the 7.8ha site later this month.
However, Lakes Environmental urban designer Paula Williams yesterday said the consent application "remains on hold at this stage" while waiting for more information from the applicant.
"Really, the ball's in their court and it's up to them when they get back to us," she said, unable to put a date on when the consent might be granted.
Confirmed for the 26,000sq m big-box retail complex is a 4200sq m Countdown supermarket.
Proposed are a six-screen cinema complex, bulk retail outlets and 40 to 50smaller retail and food outlets in a mall based around a two-level department store.
The development would spell the end of "Hendo's Hole", an excavated site intended to be used as an underground car park forthe original Five Mile development, a project which was left uncompleted when developer David Henderson abandoned the plans.
A spokesman for Queenstown Gateway could not be contacted yesterday.
