A plan change hearing for Frankton Flats, in Queenstown, is due to resume today, with eight new reports from the Queenstown Lakes District Council to be considered over two days.
The hearing, before a panel of three independent commissioners led by John Matthews, was adjourned on July 22 so council experts could respond to evidence presented by submitters following the announcement the Five Mile development had gone into receivership.
Porter Group director Alastair Porter, whose company is behind the Remarkables Park development at Frankton, said the council's most recent reports were "a timely and significant step in the right direction" with regard to future use of the sensitive land area.
Building heights and potential density had been scaled down and planning provisions now focused on village development and more open space, Mr Porter said.
The expansion of Queenstown's two major town centres - the central business area and the regional centre at Remarkables Park - more than adequately met the town's retail needs.
Mr Porter said any party seeking to buy or refinance the Five Mile land should be aware the previous owner's concepts for a third Queenstown town centre were "neither realistic nor viable".
If such plans were pursued, it would result in years of ongoing planning debate. Plans for other public amenity projects at Remarkables Park, including a hospital, were proceeding.
He said it was worth noting both the aviation experts giving evidence to the hearing, including the council's expert, recommended airport noise contours should first be resolved.
The Queenstown Airport Corporation had not yet provided its new noise contours to the hearing, he said.
However, given the number of submitters with diverse views, Mr Porter expected it would be difficult for all submitters to be satisfied.
"As a result it is probably inevitable some appeals will be lodged which will make final future zoning uncertain for quite some time," he said.
Mr Porter said his would discuss options with any future purchaser or financier of Five Mile.
