Gun club open to land swap

The Wakatipu Gun Club could relocate from its present site at the Shotover Delta to one near the Victoria Flats landfill area in Gibbston valley.

The gun club has been located at the Shotover Delta since 1987, but the Queenstown Lakes District Council wants that site for its new wastewater treatment facility, Project Shotover.

As the club's lease runs until May 2015, and construction of Project Shotover is due to begin in mid 2011, the council is proposes to offer the club a 25-year lease on the site near the Gibbston highway in return for the club relinquishing its current lease.

Revell Buckham, from the Wakatipu Gun Club, told the council's utilities committee at a meeting last week the club found the proposed site suitable.

Councillor Cath Gilmour said the council had to ensure its utilities facilities were safeguarded, and asked whether other users could still gain access to the land .

Mr Buckham said the club was happy to accommodate other potential users of the land, as long as that was in harmony with the operations of a gun club.

The utilities committee agreed to propose the swap to the council's property subcommittee, which would decide on the terms and conditions of a new lease.

The next step would be for the club to apply for resource consent to use the new club.

Once the matter was agreed upon, the costs associated with the physical relocation of the club would be met from the Project Shotover budget, while the club would have to cover costs of the resource consent.