The subdivision of more than 84ha of rural land covered in native bush on Saddle Hill Rd, in Dunedin, would enhance the natural landscape of the area, a consent hearing heard yesterday.
An application to subdivide land at 505 Saddle Hill Rd to create five lots, four of which would be between 0.5-1.1 hectares for residential dwellings, was lodged by property owner Dianne Reid last year.
The proposed sites fell well short of current 15ha rural zone site size requirements.
Council for the applicant, Bridget Irving, encouraged independent commissioner Andrew Henderson and councillors Mike Lord and Jim O’Malley to consider the "unique characteristics of the site and surrounding area" — rather than the need to meet the provisions and obligations of rural zone rules.
"Ultimately the rural zone provisions are not offended by this application when the specific circumstances of this case are considered."
Such circumstances included the fact the steep terrain of the site made it impractical to cultivate the land and thus undesirable to subdivide in 15ha lots. The proposed site sizes would not result in more properties than allowed under rural plan rules, and the site locations and sizes meant more than 80ha of native bush and pasture would be retained as one block.
Amendments had been made to the proposal following a recommendation by Dunedin City Council planner Lianne Darby the application be declined, Ms Irving said.
The applicant would offer a "no further subdivision" condition on the land, and planned vehicle access to one of the properties would be changed to meet council requirements. After hearing the changes yesterday Ms Darby still recommended the proposal be declined. There was no argument which would allow the plan to go ahead without setting an "undesirable precedent" for the rural zone, she said.
Saddle Hill resident Mark Walter spoke in support of the proposal.
The development was "in the best interest of the area" because the natural elements would be retained and it would promote growth in the community.
Submitter Craig Werner said he was "not specifically a local" but he opposed the application because of the "structural intrusion" it would impose on the landscape.
Commissioner Henderson and Crs Lord and O’Malley said they believed adequate measures were in place to ensure the visual appearance of residential dwellings would not be offensive to the environment if the application was approved.
It was not known when a ruling would be made.
