The Environment Court hearing on the proposed Pak'nSave and Mitre 10 Mega began this week in Queenstown.
Yesterday, the court heard from Foodstuffs' counsel, Jen Crawford, that Queenstown was in need of a low-priced supermarket and any environmental effects could be successfully managed.
Ms Crawford also argued Queenstown Central Limited, which has appealed the resource consent application, is a trade competitor and has no place in Resource Management Act processes.
The hearing resumed yesterday morning with the questioning of Foodstuffs witness John McCoy, of McCoy Wixon Architects.
Mr McCoy said he did not believe underground car-parking to be "safe, convenient, or accessible" nor did he believe Pak'nSave to be a supermarket in the traditional sense.
"Pak'nSave is perceived by most as separate to a supermarket.
"It is a no-frills environment - to me it is quite clearly different," he said during the hearing.
He was also asked by commissioner Heather McConachy about the possibility of using solar panels, since the store designs included plans to collect rainwater in tanks stored behind the building.
Mr McCoy explained that at present solar panels offered "very little payback" but it was "something that we would be interested in".
The proposed site is on Frankton Flats, an area which is the subject of a proposed plan change.
Ms Crawford told Judge Jon Jackson that Foodstuffs should not have to wait for a decision on the plan change "given the benefit to the community".
Last October, Foodstuffs' application for resource consent to build a $30 million Pak'nSave was turned down and as a result Mitre 10 Mega's advocates opted for a direct referral to the Environment Court.
