An engineer’s warned Bowen Peak Ltd’s Fernhill ‘Powerhouse’ project’s "likely prone" to risks of landslips and rockfalls.
The proposal includes a three-stage aerial ropeway network, a new residential development dubbed ‘Fernhill Heights’, a retail, hospitality and tourism precinct, predator-free sanctuaries and a mountain bike park on a slope above Fernhill, along with a skifield on Bowen Peak.
The third iteration of its fast-track approval application was accepted by Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop this month.
But in its comments on that application, Queenstown council’s raised "significant concerns" with the project, including a "possible high risk" from natural hazards, such as landslides, rockfall, debris flow and slope instability exposure which, it says, calls into question the development’s feasibility.
An independent review of the natural hazard assessment, by WSP New Zealand, found the risk posed to the development and adjoining land’s considered "greater than low", while Fernhill Heights is "likely prone to landslide and future slope instability risk".
Bowen Peak Ltd director Guy Hingston says they’re "very grateful" for council’s "sterling review".
"They have given us a major push forward with their critique of our proposal."
The company’s written to council and hopes to hear back soon as to how they can continue to collaborate, but Hingston believes with "appropriate expert advice and modern construction techniques, I’m looking forward to being able to safely live up above Fernhill with many hundreds of others".
Meanwhile, Associate Transport Minister James Meager’s backing the Powerhouse project, noting it’d add to Queenstown’s housing stock, provide greater access to world-class tourism offerings and support native species, while Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says the development will have a substantial input into the regional economy short-term and, if successful, could have significant ongoing contributions to the tourism industry and local visitor spend.
