At the beginning of a two-day hearing yesterday, Thurlby Domain owner Vicki Buckham and her counsel Rebecca Wolt presented recent changes to the proposal to host up to 100 events a year.
The changes aimed to reduce the scale of the proposal and included capping all events at six hours, curfews for certain areas of the property, implementing "respite" periods between events, prohibiting event parking on Speargrass Flat Rd and preparing a noise management plan.
Ms Wolt said while the application attracted 31 submissions — 15 in opposition, 14 in support, and two seeking changes — the subsequent refinements demonstrated Mrs Buckham’s devotion to being a responsible neighbour and committed custodian of the property.
The property, in Speargrass Flat Rd, was developed in the 1870s by political and business leader Bendix Hallenstein, and was bought by Vicki and Revell Buckham in 1991.
The couple have restored several historic buildings at the property and regularly host community groups and private events.
After discovering a resource consent was required to hold more than 14 "temporary" annual events, Mrs Buckham applied to the council in December to host up to 100 events a year — with a maximum of 150 guests at each.
Opposing submitters, of which several are neighbours, raised concerns about noise effects, heritage effects, traffic congestion, drunkenness and impacts on property value and privacy.
The council also found issue with the proposal and recommended consent be declined on the basis the events did not qualify as "temporary" activities — rather they were a "commercial" activity, contrary to the area’s amenity values.
Under the district plan, the property had permission to hold 14 temporary events a year, Ms Wolt said.
However, this was an "insufficient" quota to cater to the demand from the community.
"The Buckhams do not wish to ‘close the gates’ to the property.
"[They] wish to be able to continue to share it with others and to maintain and restore it’s heritage.
"They see themselves as custodians of the property and are committed to seeing it endure for future generations," she said.
Brett Giddens, of Town Planning Group, supported Mrs Buckham’s proposal and deemed it "appropriate" alongside a suite of suggested conditions on the consent.
Heritage, traffic and transportation, and acoustic experts also gave evidence in support of the proposal.
The hearing, managed by independent commissioners Dr Lee Beattie and Ms Wendy Baker, will continue today.
