Varina plan opposed

Wanaka property company Varina Proprietary Ltd took a drubbing from its neighbours in submissions given at a resource consent hearing in Wanaka yesterday.

However, the company's lawyer, Phil Page, questioned whether some submissions were valid, because they were from ‘‘trade competitors'' not directly affected by its proposal.

The company, whose sole director is Duffy Krooks, is applying for consent to widen the use of its Peak Function Centre in residential Upton St and four adjacent residential properties it wants to use for visitor accommodation.

Motel owner Pam Simpson was one of those who took the company to task for the way it operated its visitor accommodation in the town's residential zone.

Ms Simpson said her motel was next to another of the company's properties in Youghal St, which had no on-site manager.

She gave an example of how she and her husband Brett became de facto managers when a fire broke out in the Varina property one night in January 2015.

‘‘We called the fire brigade, ensured all Varina's guests and our guests were evacuated.

‘‘Brett attempted to keep the fire under control with a fire hose from our property. Until this day we have never had a visit from Varina management to discuss the fire.''

Ms Simpson said the company's style of operation had a ‘‘blatant disrespect and disregard for neighbouring properties and residents' wellbeing''.

She considered the Queenstown Lakes District Council did not have the resources to monitor whether Varina was complying with its consents and suggested the neighbours of the company's properties in Brownston, McDougall and Upton Sts, the subject of the consent hearing, would become the company's ‘‘fulltime noise monitors, managers, fire wardens and safety officers''.

Bed and breakfast operator Helen Blair told the hearing such developments as Varina's were spreading like a cancer in Wanaka.

They ‘‘start conservatively, get permission, and then apply for the actual original intent of the developer''.

‘‘It could be called accession by stealth.''

She believed if the council had ‘‘upheld its own laws'', then issues around Varina's proposal would not have arisen.

Loris King said she had three years' experience living next door to Varina's Youghal St property and had been frustrated by the company's ‘‘absolute refusal'' to abide by rules in its consent and by ‘‘a lack of council methods to enforce compliance''.

Lawyer for 21 objectors Chris Stevens told the hearing the function centre was a ‘‘predominantly commercial activity'' and described aspects of Varina's application as ‘‘spin''.

‘‘You must look on the spin with a very jaundiced view,'' Mr Stevens told independent commissioners Jane Taylor and Andrew Henderson.

Mr Stevens compared the wording of the function centre's original resource consent with the way in which it was currently managed.

‘‘The only inference that you can draw ... is that the applicant regards explicit, wholly unambiguous conditions as something of an inconvenience, best ignored.''

John Mills, whose family owns a house next to the function centre, said the character of the area had changed as Varina bought seven of the 10 properties in the block.

‘‘In effect, the nature of the low-density residential status of this neighbourhood had been significantly downgraded.''

He was concerned about noise, loss of privacy and parking issues.

Council planner Liz Hislop reaffirmed her recommendation the commissioners refuse Varina's application because its adverse effects were ‘‘more than minor''.

In his response, Mr Page said the commissioners had been presented with the ‘‘Armageddon scenario'' by submitters opposing the application.

He did not consider traffic noise or privacy issues would increase if consent was given.

Mr Page considered Ms Simpson and Ms Blair should not participate in the process unless they could show there was a direct effect on them.

No-one, he said, had turned up at the function centre and ‘‘complained about anything''.

He described Varina's accommodation as ‘‘top end'' that would not be occupied by those who would ‘‘lear up''.

The hearing has been adjourned for a decision, and possibly negotiation over conditions.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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