Despite changes made to a plan change proposal being positive, the change should still be rejected, council staff told a hearing panel in Wanaka yesterday.
Panelists David Mead (chairman), Andrew Henderson and Cr Mel Gazzard heard evidence from Queenstown Lakes District Council consultants and staff on the final day of the hearing for plan change 51 which would allow developers to expand a subdivision on Peninsula Bay into an area zoned as open space.
Developer Infinity Investment Group made changes to the original submission on the plan change, which included removing two sites and reducing the size of the proposed zone change from 6.11ha to 4.47ha.
Council consultant Victoria Jones said she considered all the costs and benefits of the proposal but was of the opinion any change was inappropriate.
While the proposed changes Infinity had made were positive, they would not have an overall positive effect when compared to any changes during development, Ms Jones said.
Council consultant landscape architect Marion Read said in her evidence the existing zoning was the most appropriate way to protect the landscape and visual value of the land in the northern part of Peninsula Bay and the plan change degraded and diminished the value significantly.
In his evidence on Monday, landscape architect Benjamin Espie said he found Dr Read’s evidence on the negative aspects overstated and any landscape changes made would be localised to a small area and less significant than Dr Read found it would be.
Council senior parks and reserve planner Jeannie Galavazi told the panel the parks and reserves department remained of the view the plan change should be rejected and the entire 13.8ha of open space zone land should remain.
Any residential development in the open space zone would have a negative affect on future recreational use of the area, Ms Galavazi said.
On Monday, Infinity Investment Group managing director Paul Croft said he was taken aback by the council’s submission against the plan change.
Mr Croft said talks he and others at Infinity had with council staff and representatives before the plan change was officially submitted seemed to be positive.
Infinity wanted to make it clear it was not trying to push through a change which was not supported by the Wanaka community and the council, Mr Croft said.
Those making submissions have until August 26 to review supplementary evidence and make their final submission by September 2.
