Developers who hope to turn rural land on the outskirts of Wanaka into residential sections face opposition from neighbouring property owners.
Caroline and Michael Garnham, of Wellington, have applied for resource consent to develop two plots of land, one in Ballantyne Rd and the other in Mt Barker Rd, into 12 residential sections. Mr Garnham did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.
The pair want to subdivide 48ha of land near the Cardrona River in Ballantyne Rd into nine residential lots.
Most of the land, about 40ha, would be used as a balance area and not be developed.
They have also applied for consent to subdivide about 6.8ha of rural land in Mt Barker Rd, also near the Cardrona River, into three residential lots with a balance area of 46.7ha.
Reports prepared by Paterson Pitts planner Duncan White, which were submitted as part of the resource consent applications, found any impact on the landscape or the environment from both developments would be minimal.
Seven submissions, mostly from neighbouring landowners, were made opposing all or part of the Ballantyne Rd development, one was made in favour of the development.
Two submissions were made opposing the Mt Barker Rd development. Ballantyne Rd resident David Pickard was opposed to the consent and worried if granted it could set a precedent for further residential development in the area.
Black Peat Rd residents Robert and Sharynne Le Brun said in their submission they bought their property for its quiet and private location and now faced the prospect of up to nine new neighbours.
They also worried about the precedent it would set for development in the area.
One neighbouring landowner, Grant Cochrane, was the lone submitter in support of the Ballantyne Rd consent.
In his submission Mr Cochrane said the site chosen was appropriate and he believed it had been appropriately designed.
Development was spreading south from Wanaka and a rural-residential zone just outside of the urban growth zone made sense.
It was a better solution than allowing the town to spread west along the lakefront, he said. The Upper Clutha Environmental Society opposed both consents in their entirety.
The society’s secretary, Julian Haworth, said there were already more than 200 residential building platforms consented on rural zoned land near Wanaka.
The cumulative effect of the consented platforms, many of which have yet to be built on, would have a negative effect on the rural landscape.
If the the applications were granted there was a risk the area would be "residentialised".
