Leonard Cheng, of Dunedin, yesterday told a consent hearing the show farm and accommodation development proposed for 311 Wakari Rd would act as a drawcard for ''high end'' Chinese visitors.
The aim was to encourage more wealthy Chinese tourists to visit the South Island, and more of those who did to choose Dunedin as the first or last port of call on their visit, he said.
That could have spin off benefits for Dunedin, as the wealthy individuals expected to visit would be on the lookout for investment opportunities during their travels, he suggested.
If they liked what they saw, they might consider sending their children to Dunedin for an overseas education, he said.
Mr Cheng already hosted groups of wealthy Chinese tourists visiting Otago but said a lack of high end accommodation in Dunedin meant the city was often ''ignored''.
Those visitors were looking for ''very special conditions ... rather than just a little box in a hotel''. At present, only 20% of Chinese visitors to New Zealand came to the South Island, and only 20% of those visited Dunedin.
The rest typically flew from Auckland to Christchurch for a fleeting visit to the South Island, spending only a few days driving to Queenstown, seeing the sights, and then departing from the resort's airport.
''If we don't have something a little bit special, it's just a little bit hard to attract the people to come here,'' he said.
The farm and accommodation project, if approved, was expected to take up to a decade to develop in stages, at a cost of between $3 million and $4 million, Mr Cheng's planning consultant, Don Anderson, said.
The first stage of developing the 5.08ha property would proceed quickly and involve guest suites for six couples, a spa complex and manager's accommodation.
Later stages would add more accommodation, eventually providing space for up to 36 couples, as well as a shearing arena, fibre display area and barn.
''This is a unique opportunity to consolidate Dunedin as the destination of choice for high end Chinese tourists.
''This is not bulk bus loads of Chinese going from one Chinese restaurant to another ... This is high end people looking for a new experience in New Zealand, and Leonard is able to host these people through Dunedin,'' Mr Anderson said.
However, he also fired a shot at council water and waste services staff, who opposed any move to connect the development, on rural zoned land, to the city's wastewater network.
Council water and waste services asset and commercial manager Tom Osborn said the out of zone connection would be ''uneconomic'', and a large amount of pipe would be needed for one property.
That also raised a ''negative prospect'' for the cost of replacing the pipe in future years, he said.
Mr Anderson said council staff appeared to have a ''vested interest'' in protecting their pipes.
''He's worried about his pipes. What the rest of us are worried about is the future development of Dunedin.''
The alternative was an on site effluent treatment and dispersal system, covering about 4000sq m of the 5ha site, but Mr Anderson said that would be a return to the ''dark ages'' for farm guests.
It would also require an additional consent from the Otago Regional Council, meaning the ORC could stop the project in its tracks, he said.
''It would be vetoed by the Otago Regional Council.''
He urged the committee not to impose any condition of consent requiring either approach, and instead wait for a subsequent application for an out of zone water connection to be considered by the council's infrastructure services committee.
If the committee imposed a condition now, it could be reviewed only by the Environment Court, which would ''not be thrilled'', he suggested.
Yesterday's hearing was adjourned following submissions, allowing the committee – Crs Kate Wilson (chairwoman), Jinty MacTavish and Andrew Noone – to conduct a site visit.
Closing arguments would be made by email before a decision was issued.