Former Queenstown Lakes District Council chief executive Duncan Field is behind Ecojet Ltd, proposing a new jet-boating and water taxi system on the lake, already home to Kawarau Jet and now Queenstown Water Taxis operating as Thunder Jet.
Mr Field applied for resource consent in May to operate four boats across a network of water taxi drop-off and pick-up points, including the Remarkables Park retail complex.
The company has already secured two berths and a kiosk at Queenstown Wharf and is backed by partners - Queenstown developer and jet-boat driver Alistair Hey and Christchurch biochemist Nick McMillan.
Mr Field told the Otago Daily Times after lodging the application the company agreed with Lakes Environmental "it would be good to wait until the Environment Court had issued their final decision [on Thunder Jet] before we proceeded to have the resource consent processed".
Queenstown Water Taxis was given approval by the Queenstown Lakes District Council for two consents, which were subsequently appealed to the Environment Court by Kawarau Jet.
The Environment Court has now approved both consents, subject to conditions, with Queenstown Water Taxis Ltd permitted to operate one jet-boat (up to four trips per day) and also three boats (about 10 trips per day) on the Kawarau River, from the Kawarau River bridge, about 14km downstream, to near the Arrow River confluence.
Both applications involve pick-up and drop-offs of passengers at an established berth at a jetty in Queenstown Bay, or at Frankton Marina.
Mr Field said he and his business partners were now "getting our heads around that" and preparing for the next step of the resource consent process.
"Now, we can move on with ours.
"It's pretty straightforward, and a simple decision [from the Environment Court].
"I think there's a considerable process to go through yet, but we're confident with all that we've seen that this is a safe and suitable activity for that area."
