The Jehovah Witness movement has made a limited notified resource consent application to the Queenstown Lakes District Council to build a ''Kingdom Hall'' facility on a 4007sq m site in Balneaves Rd, Wanaka.
Its application was prepared by Town Planning Group Ltd senior planner Charlene Kowalski, who described the building as simple, single-level, residential in appearance and ''styled and decorated to be pleasant and relaxing''.
''Unlike a church, it is a place of learning, being more like a classroom for lectures and discussions,'' the application states.
The site is zoned rural residential where use of land for a church is a permitted activity.
However, consent was required for ''minor breaches'' of the district plan rules relating to non-residential building size, earthworks and transport requirements.
A variation to the consent notice was also required for an ''acoustic fence''.
The facility would have seating for up to 84 people and meetings would usually be scheduled for midweek evenings and Sunday mornings or afternoon.
It was not intended to use the hall for social functions, although it would be used for the ceremonial parts of weddings and funerals.
''The activity is very low key,'' Ms Kowalski said.
