THE Queenstown Lakes District Council's strategy committee yesterday recommended the council join Environment Court appeals against the airport's runway end safety area (Resa) designation.
Councillors asked senior policy analyst Alyson Hutton what the appeals said against Queenstown Airport Corporation's plans to build the critical Resa by a notice of requirement for the expansion of the existing aerodrome designation.
Councillors discussed if they wanted to take a side on the appeals.
Ms Hutton updated committee members that Quail Rise Estate Ltd, Air New Zealand, Shotover Park Ltd and the Wakatipu Trails Trust lodged separate appeals last week.
There were now 30 working days since the appeals were lodged with the Environment Court for any other submittor to become a section 274 party to the proceedings and that included the QLDC.
Ms Hutton said it was important the council became a part of the process because the Resa and the unformed road linking Glenda Dr and Hawthorne Dr, over or around the proposed Resa engineered gravel fill, were community issues.
"Shotover Park Ltd's main issue is road width and Air New Zealand is more who will pay for [the Resa]," she said.
"I'm not sure if the airport or Shotover Park will build the road, but we have the option to designate it."
Ms Hutton said becoming a party meant the council could "form views and suggestions in terms of resolutions, or we can a take a watching brief".
In response to Cr Mel Gazzard, Ms Hutton said: "I think at least two of the four (appeals) could be resolved through mediation."
Chairwoman Gillian Macleod moved the recommendation. It was seconded by Cr Lex Perkins, and carried unanimously.
