Legal wrangling over the expansion of Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes’ network of cycle trails has yet to be resolved after the parties went to mediation on Thursday.
Property developer Dave Henderson took action against the Central Otago Queenstown Trail Network Trust after the trust was granted resource consents in February for a 27.5km-long trail in the Kawarau Gorge connecting existing cycle trails from Gibbston through land next to Queenstown’s Victoria Hills landfill to Bannockburn.
With no resolution made at the meeting, both parties are bound to confidentiality.
Yesterday Mr Henderson said he and the trust had made "a lot of progress" and he was hopeful an agreement could be arrived at in coming weeks.
"It will mean a better trail and a better experience."
The action centres on land Mr Henderson and former Christchurch mayor Sir Bob Parker and his wife Lady Joanna Nichols-Parker own as an entity called the Cardrona Cattle Company Ltd.
The $4.5 million block is next to Queenstown’s Victoria Hills landfill in Gibbston.
The Otago Daily Times understands Mr Henderson maintains the trail runs through part of the land and he was not consulted as an affected party.
Central Otago Queenstown Trail Network Trust chairman Stephen Jeffery said he also could not comment until the mediation had an outcome.
