A request to refund a developer’s $132,000 landscaping cost has been declined by the Central Otago District Council.
The council voted this week to decline the request, from Livewell (2015) Ltd, for $132,331.12 for landscaping works done on a reserve created as part of a resource consent for stage four of The Pines subdivision, in Alexandra.
Peter Dymock, of Paterson Pitts Ltd Partnership, had made the request on behalf of the developer, Brooke Willoughby, and both appeared before the Central Otago District Council at its meeting.
Mr Willoughby said he had provided more than what was required in the council’s district plan and financial and development policy, providing 6700sq m of land for reserve, and spending $132,331.12 on landscaping the reserve.
Other previous large subdivisions in the area, a previous stage of The Pines and the Molyneux Estate subdivision, had not had to contribute as much, and the council had paid for the installation of an irrigation system in the State Highway reserves bordering both subdivisions, and for turf establishment for the previous Pines subdivision as well, Mr Willoughby said.
However, CODC planning and environment executive manager Louise van der Voort recommended declining the request, saying Livewell had not appealed the conditions of its consent.
Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan said the council and community were open to development, but "a deal’s a deal", and Livewell should not be refunded its landscaping costs.
