The Queenstown Lakes District Council's proposed objectives, policies and rules for farmland in the district run to a modest 32 pages. But getting the wording just right has involved hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pages of appendices, evidence, legal arguments and submissions. Otago Daily Times Wanaka bureau chief Mark Price picked out two documents for closer examination.
Getting approval for new tourist developments in the Queenstown Lakes District Council's rural zone might be difficult and expensive, but that is all to the good, according to Auckland economic consultant Philip Osborne.
Mr Osborne was one of those who appeared before four commissioners intent on updating the council's district plan, in Lake Hawea this week.
In his evidence, Mr Osborne said the competitive advantage Queenstown held in world tourism was based largely on its outstanding natural landscapes.
"This natural asset contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the district's gross domestic product every year.
"The relative value of this nationally significant asset cannot be underestimated in terms of its value to the local community,'' Mr Osborne said.
He considered with growing competition in the "fickle'' international tourism market, it was "crucial'' to the district's economy that the profile generated by the region's landscapes was "seen to be protected both in perception and reality''.
"Any impact, or indeed perceived impact, on the natural landscape in Queenstown could have significant and far-reaching impacts upon the community's economic wellbeing.''
He pointed out that while direct economic benefits from farming were far outweighed by those from tourism, farming played a valuable role.
"A number of rural activities may not of themselves make a significant contribution in real terms to the district's economy.
"But in my opinion, they have significant value beyond that in the way that they protect or maintain the natural environment and landscapes that in turn sustain the district's economy.
"Agricultural land use is an important tool in the management of the natural landscape ... and in fact forms an integral component of it.''
Mr Osborne noted there were nearly 600 commercial/tourism resource consents in rural areas over the past 10 years, and others were declined because of their impact on the natural landscape.
He supported a cautious approach to tourist development in the rural zone to protect it from a "proliferation of inappropriate activities'' and did not believe any potential "appropriate tourism activities'' would be lost to other districts because of council processes.
Mr Osborne considered there would be a greater risk to the natural landscape if development had a permitted or controlled status "as sought by various submitters'' rather than one requiring the discretion of the council.
