Independent commissioners Dr Lee Beattie and Rachel Dimery have refused consent for The Shire, in Hogans Gully Rd, proposed by former American Mike Almquist, who bought the Mount Soho Winery property from original owners Ed and Carol Lamont in 2018.
While it would have positive benefits to the applicant, and the district generally, by enabling employment, viticulture and cafe/dining facilities and bring the overall Mt Soho activities under one title, those did not outweigh the adverse landscape and amenity effects, their decisions said.
One of the key issues was the scale of the building — 1183sq m — and the mounding and planting proposed to help screen it.
In the commissioners’ view, that pointed to the "inappropriateness of the site selected for the proposal, and the overall scale of the building".
Planner Jenny Carter, for the applicant, told commissioners while the building would be visible from Hogans Gully Rd, it would be visually prominent from public or private locations — something Dr Beattie and Ms Dimery found "somewhat difficult to reconcile".
Their decision said they could "clearly see the building’s location" from a vehicle and on foot, in both directions, during a site visit.
"We accept that rural buildings are necessarily utilitarian in nature, reflecting their functional character.
"However, one difference we perceive between the proposal and other rural buildings is the double-volume space, with the mezzanine floor at one end of the building.
"This, coupled with the sheer scale of the building ... contributes to a building of far greater scale and bulk than any of the other buildings shown in the further information."
Another point of contention was the potential noise effects.
Commissioners accepted the proposal was predicted to meet noise standards in the proposed district plan, but found the "character and intensity of the noise" generated would negatively detract from the amenity values of the area.
Noise sources included cars, buses and trucks, slamming of vehicle doors and groups of people socialising and talking in the outdoor seating area and car park, while at times there may be "loud and obnoxious behaviour from patrons", their decision said.
They found, overall, effects of the proposal were more than minor, and it was contrary to several relevant objectives and policies of the proposed district plan.
It is not clear if the decision will be appealed.
