Over the past 11 years, 332ha Corbridge Downs, on the Wanaka-Luggate Highway, has been earmarked for premium building sites, then a huge movie studio and latterly a golf and tourist development.
In August, the golf course development was named as a project applying to be part of the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. However, it did not make the cut.
It was described then as "an integrated resort development including a 36-hole marquee golf course, associated visitor accommodation (150 guest units) including two hotels and short stay units (60 units), two golf club houses, restaurants, guest amenities (spa, gym, pool), residential and worker accommodation (113 residential units) and resort maintenance facilities."
The Wanaka Sun’s attempts to find out more about the project, and whether it might proceed through normal planning processes, have come to nothing.
Last month, landowner The South Island Office Ltd did not respond to requests for information, and last week the Ministry for the Environment turned down an Official Information Act request for more detail from the company’s application for fast-tracking.
Fast track consenting manager for the ministry Stephanie Frame said 149 projects had been approved by Cabinet for inclusion in schedule 2 of the Bill.
Ms Frame said due to the public interest in the Fast-track Approvals Bill and "projects that applied to be considered for inclusion" the ministry planned to "proactively release material we hold relating to all applications on our website before the end of the year".
"I am therefore refusing your request under section 18(d) of the Act, as the information requested is soon to be publicly available."
