The billion-dollar project, which has "suspended" its fast-track consent application with the Environmental Protection Authority, would, on completion, comprise more than 450 residential apartments, about 96 "co-living" units, 600 hotel rooms and 10,000sqm of commercial/retail space on 3.3ha of the 10ha former Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park site, near Skyline’s gondola.
After QT Lakeview Developments Ltd (QTL) applied for the fast-track consent, the application was referred to University of Auckland School of Architecture and Planning head Dr Lee Beattie, who concluded the size of buildings — the tallest would be 13 storeys — would be better suited to a metropolitan centre in Auckland, and the proposal did not "seamlessly" stitch into Queenstown’s existing CBD.
However, in a response to the EPA, Berry Simons partner Sue Simons said urban design was an "art, not a science", therefore not all Dr Beattie’s advice could be accepted.
She also noted there were physical restraints on the site preventing an "alternative design response". That included a large drain which "completely compromised design options" and required the increased building height to enable a feasible project to be realised.
"Furthermore, the drain prevents physical access to the reserve behind the development which explains why the connection is visual rather than actual."
Ms Simons said the principal design driver for Lakeview-Taumata was a sense of "visually and physically" connecting Ben Lomond to Lake Wakatipu.
"Dr Beattie says this application does not achieve that.
"What he fails to recognise is that this application is the first stage in the development of a comprehensive precinct which does achieve that principal design driver and with [Queenstown Lakes District Council] in support of this."
Ms Simons said support for the proposal had been "almost universal" throughout the pre-application process, public consultation phase and engagement with council.
"The lack of unsupportive comments from the substantial number of adjacent properties which the panel invited comments from is also remarkable in the context of the application.
"Dr Beattie’s urban design concerns in respect to the policies and objectives of the district plan are not reflected in the voices of other parties."
When asked by the council’s audit, finance and risk committee about progress on the application at its Thursday meeting , strategic projects manager Paul Speedy said it remained with the EPA.
"We [council] are pretty hands-off in terms of that side ..."
Ms Simons’ response to the EPA said QTL had submitted conceptual architectural design changes to the panel and requested the panel indicate whether those changes were necessary to address Dr Beattie’s concerns and represent a "consentable proposal", before a full, detailed package was provided.
"If reservations remain, the applicant’s design team is willing to workshop the issues further and engage, if necessary, with Dr Beattie.
"Securing consent for this development unlocks the expedited creation of employment and economic recovery from the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that the precinct will deliver and thus the applicant is focused on ensuring this outcome," she said.
