Fences raise questions

Fences went up at a popular Aubrey and Outlet Rds mountain-biking spot near the Clutha River outlet about a month ago, but a Queenstown development project manager, Richard Hanson, says he understands the owners of the private land remain friendly towards mountain bikers and walkers.

"We understand that the owners' policy of allowing public access is unchanged on the basis that the public respect the property and leave it as they found it.

"Motorbikes are the exception to this and are not permitted.

"We also understand that the owners are progressing with plans in relation to a plan-change application," Mr Hanson, of Darby Partners, said in a statement last week.

Mr Hanson provided the statement after the Otago Daily Times contacted him to try to track down the owners for clarification about public access. He was not authorised to release further information.

Cyclists spoken to last week admitted they were climbing the fences and using the block as usual.

Bike Wanaka president Mark Gould said the club had not been advised access had been withdrawn.

Lake Outlet Holiday Park co-operator Tracy Addison also said last week she had always believed their neighbour was "mountain bike friendly" and had not heard anything to the contrary.

According to recent media reports, the land was included in a recent confidential Overseas Investment Office (OIO) transaction worth more than $100 million involving 202ha of land in Queenstown and Wanaka.

OIO approval was needed to increase the interests of an overseas investor to 27%, as the threshold for foreign buy-ins was 25%.

An OIO report said the transaction would provide additional capital for ongoing residential developments at Maori Jacks Rd and at Jacks Point (both Queenstown), and at Aubrey and Outlet Rds.

The report also said the transaction satisfied criteria for creating and retaining jobs, adding market competition and productivity, and additional investment for development purposes.

The registered proprietor of the Aubrey and Outlet Rds land is Real Estate Southern Holdings Ltd, directed by John Duncan, of Auckland.

The shareholder is Torchlight (GP) 1 Ltd, directed by Pyne Gould Corporation businessman George Kerr, of Lake Hayes, Mr Duncan and Patrick Middleton, of Auckland.

The most recent proposal for the land was a 52-lot residential subdivision by East Wanaka Land Holdings Ltd, directed by Mr Kerr and John Darby, of Arrowtown.

The resource consent application was put on hold in 2009 so the developer could explore the option of obtaining a plan change from rural general zone to a residential zone.