Peter and Katie O'Connor, of Riversdale, appeared in the Environment Court at Dunedin yesterday to defend their proposed development before Judge Jon Jackson and Commissioners John Mills and Ian Buchanan.
Mr and Mrs O'Connor want to subdivide their 32ha farm at Bull Creek and were granted consent to do so by the Clutha District Council, but the decision was appealed by neighbouring Bull Creek farmers Michael Hurley and Beatrice Lasserre.
Yesterday was the first of three days set down for the appeal hearing.
In his opening submission, the O'Connors' lawyer, Stephen Christensen, said Bull Creek was one of the few areas along the coastline where residential development had already occurred, in the way of about 40 cribs and a few permanently occupied homes.
He said the addition of 10 homes spread across the O'Connors' farm would not change the rural value of the area, and extensive native planting would shield much of the development from view.
Amendments to the plan, including the removal of one home and the shifting away from the coast of others, addressed concerns raised by the appellants.
Mr Christensen said benefits of the subdivision included formalisation of public access along the coast, creation of new public access to the beach, upgrading of the public road to the site and fencing of native planting.
''The applicant has worked hard to ensure the proposed development is not inappropriate within its landscape context.
''Overall the development will maintain and enhance the amenity values and quality of the landscape, will not detract from people's use and appreciation of the area, and will allow more people to enjoy the benefits of living in or visiting the area,'' he said.
Bull Creek was not considered to be an outstanding natural landscape and the development was within all relevant policies and legislation, Mr Christensen said.
Giving evidence, Mr O'Connor said he did not have experience planting natives along coast-line at the scale required by the proposal, but he had completed a year-long propagation course and was further preparing for the job by working at a nursery.
As a farmer, he had experience keeping stock and unwanted grasses away from natives and other plants, and he would employ contractors to help him landscape the proposed subdivision.
Judge Jackson, Commissioner Mills and Commissioner Buchanan toured the proposal site yesterday afternoon.
The hearing will resume in Dunedin at 10am today.
