Environment Court judge has urged submitters opposing Queenstown Lakes District Council's noise control plan change 27A to consider fronting up with an acoustics specialist should a pre-trial hearing take place next year.
"It's very difficult for lay people to fight experts," Judge Jon Jackson warned Queenstown and Arthurs Point property owners on Friday at the hearing in the Queenstown District Court.
The Arthurs Point Protection Society is also appealing the plan change, which updates the way the council measures noise and was ratified in May.
The society says it will increase noise standards within the district and lower restrictions on helicopter flights.
Concerns about a possible three decibel increase on top of the present 50 decibel limit were also raised by lobbyist Peter Fleming, of Queenstown, who warned the small increase had been shown to raise noise levels anywhere between 30% and 50%.
Council lawyer Jayne Macdonald said the council was eager to avoid a hearing and was "extremely keen to negotiate a solution".
However, she maintained the council's ability to monitor noise would be better under the new standard.
Pending a resolution, Judge Jackson adjourned the matter until February 7 for a pre-hearing conference.
Embattled Queenstown apartment developer Wensley Developments Ltd was given an adjournment until the New Year to give the company time to complete noise monitoring compliance testing.
Last month, council issued Wensley Developments the Marina Ltd with a stay of abatement notice to mitigate forecast higher traffic-noise levels at eight of 28 units at the $37 million Marina Baches complex at Frankton Rd.
The family company, which underwent numerous liquidations in the credit crunch, is directed by Invercargill developer Ross Wensley.
Mr Wensley's lawyer Russell Ibbotson agreed noise monitoring between the council and the company had been drawn out because units needed to be vacant and monitored for 24 hours.
So far, half the units had been tested and had shown full compliance, Mr Ibbotson said.
He said the other four would be tested before Christmas and if problems were found, they would be fixed.
Last month, the company was ordered to pay more than $230,000 after misrepresenting the profitability of the Marina Baches apartments to a potential buyer.
Judge Jackson adjourned the matter to a pre-trial conference on February 7.
An evidence timetable has been set in the appeal by developer Zante Holdings Ltd against council's rejection of a consent decision on subdivision and land use at Jacks Point.
The company had applied for resource consent to create seven residential allotments and undertake associated works within the golf course, open space and recreational facilities activity area at Jacks Point.
Land-use consent had also been sought to allow for the building of a house in each lot on the 7360sq m site at Kinross Lane, the proposed lots ranging in size from 941sq m to 1146sq m.
The appeal hearing is unlikely to start before midway through next year.
