A Southern Mitre 10 Mega store has been approved by the Environment Court for Frankton Flats, Queenstown, near the site where the court's consent for a Pak'n Save supermarket is being appealed.
The judgement of Judge Jon Jackson and commissioner Heather McConachy issued granted the application by Cross Roads Properties Ltd to construct and operate a trade retail store at the northeastern end of the flats with conditions.
It is only the third Mitre 10 Mega store in the South, the others being in Dunedin and Queenstown.
The proposed single, ground floor building of 6249sq m would sit on a 1.82ha site, which was generally surrounded by non-rural land and had a formed legal road running through it.
The road was intended to be closed in favour of the eventual eastern access road, the decision said.
The application also sought associated car parking, landscaping and signs for the home improvement store.
The decision directed Cross Roads, an Invercargill registered company, to lodge and serve an amended landscaping plan to show the mostly native species planting, all hard landscape elements including street furniture, an open green space to provide shelter, shade and seating, plus redrawn building plans to show windows in the mezzanine, a door to the northwest of the cafe and a roof water collection system.
Any adverse effects on the landscape would be minor with landscaping and provided the colour scheme of the building was toned down, as suggested during the hearing in Queenstown in late May.
Judge Jackson and Ms McConachy said in their decision they kept in mind the proposal was not for high street or village retail and, given the major retail activity was for trade customers and would involve vehicles, was unsuitable for a town centre.
While the flats were zoned rural general, it was land "clearly destined to be urbanised", they said.
"We consider this large-scale building and home improvement retail activity is well suited for the site. It is well-placed between the industrial zone to the east and the proposed Pak'n Save to the west."
