The Golfside apartment development in Wanaka has been rejected by independent commissioners Trevor Shiels and Lou Alfeld because of a potential catastrophe with underground aquifers and the fact that nearly 55% of the site would be covered by buildings, in breach of zone standards.
Golfside spokesman Ian Lowe declined to comment on the decision yesterday.
Tenby St residents expressed relief in a brief email to the Otago Daily Times.
"Our neighbourhood is delighted," Lynn Kane said.
Mr Lowe has been forced back to the drawing board several times during attempts to develop two adjoining sections at 32 Tenby St and 70 Dungarvon St.
The most recent application by Golfside Lake Wanaka Ltd was made in June last year and sought resource consent for 23 residential apartments in two buildings, an associated recreational facility, earthworks and the establishment of a building that would have a continuous length greater than 16m.
The sections are in the high-density residential zone, close to the central business district of Wanaka and the Wanaka golfcourse.
Twenty-four opposing submissions were received.
Evidence was submitted regarding the effect of the development on groundwater and aquifer drawdown.
That evidence included information about an unexpected encounter with an aquifer during exploratory excavation on the site, resulting in several months of flooding before the flow could be controlled and capped.
The commissioners said they could not impose conditions on a future body corporate to require it to maintain a pumping system so drawn-down water could be pumped back up to a brook to compensate for reduced water flows.
The unexpected breach of an aquifer at a nearby Warren St development was a warning, and although Golfside's hydrologist had assured there would not be mistakes, they remained unconvinced.
Nor did they believe conditions would sufficiently protect the groundwater from an "accidental catastrophe".
"Given the uncertain nature of underground water conditions and the high probability of considerable damage that could occur in the event of another unexpected aquifer breach, more investigation should be undertaken before any work commences, and a very detailed contingency plan should be prepared," the commissioners said.
With respect to building coverage, the commissioners said the latest variation of the proposal still provided for site coverage at nearly 10% above the zone standard.
• Lakes Environmental planners have recommended commissioners Shiels and Alfeld refuse a gravel extraction resource consent application by Wanaka Landfill Ltd.
The hearing starts at Edgewater Resort in Wanaka on Monday and is expected to take most of next week.
Wanaka Landfill Ltd wants to mine, extract and stockpile gravel from the Cardrona riverbed and margins, between Ballantyne Rd and State Highway 6.
Planner Scott Edgar said in his report the activity would breach site standards and have more than minor adverse effects on the environment.
His concerns include dust generation, visual effects of the gravel stockpile.
