The Bob’s Cove-Punatapu Community Trust sought $30,000 from Queenstown’s council and Waimarino Queenstown Ltd after the contentious development was signed off by the Environment Court in December.
The amount sought represents 20% of the $150,000 the trust spent on expert and legal fees from late 2023 to oppose the Waimarino Luxury Lodge at an appeal hearing last April.
In a statement, the trust says the Environment Court’s latest decision suggests the only way to hold developers and councils accountable is through expensive legal battles, placing an "unfair burden on communities committed to responsible stewardship".
Although it got "some wins" during the court battle, its members and experts remain "stunned" the court granted consent to the development, the trust says.
"Throughout this process, we encountered a system heavily skewed in favour of developers.
"Inconsistencies and oversights on [Queenstown council’s] part further undermined efforts to safeguard our natural environment."
Construction’s yet to start on the development, which will consist of 20 green-roofed villas, an ‘owner’s residence’, restaurant, sauna, spa and yoga studio.
The developer, Sydney-based businessman Andrew McIntosh, applied for consent in 2021 to build 24 villas, each on a freehold title, on the 1.8ha site about 15 minutes’ drive from central Queenstown.
Independent commissioners turned down the proposal in 2022, prompting McIntosh to appeal to the Environment Court.
After initially recommending consent be refused, the council changed its position to one of support after the company made a series of design changes and agreed to a string of consent conditions.
The changes include the removal of four villas and other proposed buildings, dropping the subdivision plan, and doing additional native planting.
McIntosh didn’t respond to Mountain Scene’s request for comment.
