Marjorie Cook

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has been warned it may face a costs order against it for presenting landscape evidence to the Environment Court that appeared to be out of step with accepted professional practice in New Zealand and had created extra work for other parties.

The McRae family of Glendhu Station are considering if they can provide more public access and undertake more native vegetation regeneration, in return for the right to develop part of their farm into a multimillion-dollar golfing resort.

New Zealand's commercial fishers landed 2200 tonnes of albacore tuna last year, with most of it exported to canneries in Europe.

Evidence presented at the Parkins Bay golf resort Environment Court hearing in Wanaka this week and last has focused on the appellants' suspicions the application is not all it seems.

Retired Wanaka GP Dennis Pezaro and his wife, Olwyn, have had their house site confirmed by the Environment Court, paving the way for construction to begin in an area described by the Queenstown Lakes district plan as "outstanding natural landscape".

The Parkins Bay golf-course resort presents a chance to add to the amenities at Glendhu Bay but falls short when providing for walking and mountain-biking access, the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust told the Environment Court this week.

The Wanaka showgrounds and camping ground site has re-emerged as the preferred site for Wanaka's new $10.6 million indoor sports facility and sports fields.

The Wanaka Community Pool will receive a $298,900 upgrade between April and July, if the Queenstown Lakes District Council approves the budget on Monday.

Otago had a gold rush. Now it has a "golf rush" and Wanaka should be part of it, says Golf Otago executive member John Roche of Alexandra.

The Environment Court yesterday began a two-week hearing to determine whether the multimillion-dollar Parkins Bay golf course development should be granted a resource consent.

The Westland District Council is thrilled its application to the Government for cycleway development funding was successful and now hopes for more progress on its Haast-Hollyford road proposal, acting general manager Richard Simpson said yesterday.

Wanaka man Jan Hermanus Campher (33) has been convicted, after an Invercargill District Court jury trial this week, of four charges of intentionally damaging telecommunication cabinets by setting fire to them in Wanaka on June 11 and 12.