Arrowtown group to stand back

After a lot of debate, the Arrowtown Village Association has decided to "stand back" from the Plan Change 29 Arrowtown boundary issue, but will register its interest with a neutral submission.

At the association's meeting last week, it became clear that within the committee most people had differing views on the plan change and what the future shape of Arrowtown would or could be.

Association member Jim Feehly had sent a questionnaire canvassing other members' views on having a set "inner boundary" with a long-term "outer boundary" to accommodate the eventual growth of the town.

He suggested if the response came back as more than 50% for an outer growth boundary, the association could make a submission supporting it.

However, Jude Gillies argued the methodology of the questionnaire was flawed and should not be used as the basis for an association view.

Other committee members said growth was inevitable and even if there were a set town boundary, groups such as Arrow South could always apply for plan changes and the growth would happen anyway.

Association chairman Richard Newman favoured encouraging Arrowtown residents to submit on the plan change as they saw fit.

However, it was decided the association should make a neutral submission, in case it needed to have a say in later hearings and processes.