Privacy, synergies and certainty of tenure were three reasons given in support of the proposed Wanaka community house on the first day of a three-day resource consent hearing yesterday.
Nick Brown, who has been involved with the project for 12 years and is a member of the trust wanting to build the facility, spoke in favour of the consent application.
He spelled out the advantages of all social services being based in the same building, as applied in Alexandra and was being proposed in Queenstown.
Mr Brown told independent commissioners Andrew Henderson and Jane Taylor the proposal for a building on Anglican Church land in McDougall St was the only "tangible opportunity'' that could meet the demand of social service groups "for the foreseeable future''.
Mr Brown said the building would have soundproofing between offices, private access for clients seeking social service assistance, and it was a seven-minute walk from the centre of Wanaka.
In answer to questions from Ms Taylor, Mr Brown said a purpose-built facility was "much more preferable'' than social service agencies being "just another tenant'' in a building used for other purposes.
The Alpine Community Development Trust, trading as Community Networks, provides many of the Upper Clutha's social services from a building in Brownston St.
It had been expected to become the community house's anchor tenant but surprised the community house trust recently by announcing it did not want to use the building.
It favoured being a tenant in a proposed Queenstown Lakes District Council building in Ardmore St.
In his written evidence, Mr Brown said the need for a community house was first identified in 2004 but the council had "not taken a lead in either planning or developing such a facility''.
It was only when the Anglican Church promoted the concept that "something tangible happened''.
Mr Brown produced documents showing the Alpine trust supported the community house trust as late as May last year.
"While neither of these letters specifically endorse the location of the proposed community house ... it was reasonable for the [Community House] trust to assume [the Alpine Trust and Community Networks] continued to endorse the proposed location and their prospective tenancy,'' Mr Brown said.
Lawyer for the community house trust Jan Caunter said it was committed to proceeding with the facility "with or without'' the Alpine trust.
Five full-time and 12 part-time tenants were expected initially, she said.
Among public submissions yesterday was one from Glen Dene Station owner Jeremy Burdon who opposed the use of church land for the building.
He believed it would be better to use the site that will become vacant in Ardmore St when the Wanaka Volunteer Fire Brigade moves to new premises.
As a member of the Anglican parish, Mr Burdon said he had heard much discussion about the community house "but in my opinion and personal experience a democratic decision was never made by the wider parish for the proposal.
"This strong opposition for the proposal will continue due to a lack of consultation.''
Wanaka Community House
Location: McDougall St on vacant land leased from the Anglican Diocese of Dunedin.
Includes: Offices and meeting rooms for community and government organisations, and a hall for church overflow during weddings, funerals and other church and community events.
For: Wanaka Community House Charitable Trust and 175 public submitters.
Against: Alpine Community Development Trust, which operates Community Networks, the Upper Clutha's biggest social services provider, and 42 submitters.
Zoning: Low-density residential, requiring a "non-complying activity'' resource consent.
