Image of Crown Range Rd weighed

Visual aspects were the main considerations concerning a proposed subdivision on the Crown Terrace, at a resource consent hearing last week.

If granted, the resource consent would allow Rick Petit to subdivide a 2.1ha plot of land with a separate building platform off his 8.7ha property on the Crown Range Rd, located just above "the zigzag".

The remaining lot contains the Petits' family home.

When the consent application was publicly notified in August 2009, it attracted three submissions.

The New Zealand Fire Service and NZ Historic Places Trust sent in submissions, which neither supported nor opposed the subdivision.

But the Fire Services proposed a condition of the provision of water supplies for firefighting purposes, and the Historic Places Trust wanted to ensure a water race of historic significance between two ponds was retained.

The final submission was from the neighbouring property Shed3, owned by Brad Avery and Iris Weber, in opposition to the application.

Senior planner Gemma Davis, of Brown & Pemberton Planning Group, spoke on behalf of Mr Avery and Ms Weber and said they were reluctant to oppose the subdivision, as they wanted to keep a good relationship with Mr Petit.

"They are concerned about this application creating a precedent for further subdivision and development in the area, leading to the erosion of the character and amenity of the rural general zone of the area," Ms Davis said.

Lakes Environmental resource consent planner Philippa Riddell had initially in her report recommended the application be declined, based on adverse effects on traffic safety and visual amenities.

Her concerns had been considered by the applicant, who had changed the proposed plans to use earthworks and further planting to ensure a future dwelling on the building platform of the proposed lot would not be seen from the Crown Range Rd.

Russell Ibbotson, of Preston Russell Law, who represented Mr Petit, told the commissioners "the site offered the potential to absorb both the change and the mitigation of the associated effects".

Independent commissioner David Whitney and commissioner Lyal Cocks, of the Queenstown Lakes District Council, had both inspected the site.

They reserved their decision on the application.