Arrowtown-related hearings likely between March, May

Hearings to determine the fate of three plan changes, two of which relate specifically to Arrowtown, will potentially be held between March and May this year, Queenstown Lakes District Council senior policy analyst Mark Rushworth said yesterday.

Plan change 29: Arrowtown boundary; plan change 30: urban boundary framework; and plan change 39: Arrowtown South were all lodged last year.

The Arrowtown boundary plan change, proposed by the council, seeks to keep the town's boundary tight.

The proposed urban boundary framework plan change, also brought by the council, seeks to establish a strategic framework for managing the scale and location of urban growth within the district.

The third plan change was privately lodged in September, proposed by a group of eight landowners in the area.

If adopted, the plan change will allow for urban growth on a parcel of land along the southern edge of the town.

Submissions for plan change 29 and 30 closed in October, while submissions on plan change 39 will close on January 27.

Mr Rushworth said no specific dates had been set for the three hearings, which would be held separately, beginning with plan change 30, to be heard by an independent commissioner and two council commissioners.

Plan change 29 would follow and be heard by two independent commissioners, before plan change 39 was heard by an independent commissioner and two council commissioners.

"We need to get a bit more through the process. We're waiting for further submissions on plan change 29 and 30 and original submissions are still coming in for Arrowtown South.

"Once we've got all that in, we'll be lining up commissioners and submitters.

"Once we're more into the report-writing stage, then we'll have a better idea of when the hearings are going to be.

"Until then, it's really just going through the process.''

Mr Rushworth said the council still hoped to be able to hold those hearings relating specifically to Arrowtown in the town.

"We'll certainly be exploring options to see if we can hold that locally for the people [in Arrowtown].''

Meanwhile, the council released the analysis of submissions relating to the Arrowtown boundary last month, which showed 89% of the 537 submissions received were opposed to the town's boundary being extended.

Only 10% of the submissions, which represented 54 respondents, voted for future growth. A total of 565 people submitted in support of the plan change and in opposition to growth.

Opposition to expansion ranged across many age groups and included the Ministry of Education, the artistic community, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and the Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association.

Arrowtown residents group spokeswoman Mia Bennie said she was not surprised at the analysis.

"All our polling over the past two years has indicated a 90% rejection of expansion.

"I am hopeful that our QLDC councillors will listen to the clear views of the community that elected them.''

Ministry of Education Otago and Southland manager Kathryn Palmer said in the ministry's submission that defining, consolidating and limiting further growth in Arrowtown would enable better planning for the future education needs of the community.

Artist Peter Beadle submitted the character of Arrowtown as it was had a "very special visual effect'', while Graham Brindsley said Arrowtown should be retained as a "village''.

Arrowtown Museum director David Clarke, submitting privately, said towns like Arrowtown, where there had been "huge community input'' into planning and careful consideration given to amenity, became "victims of their own success''.

"Developers see the potential and ultimately, through pressure, development occurs and diminishes that desirability that made the town charming in the first place.''

The Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association submitted it was essential to preserve Arrowtown in its current form and establish effective boundaries for the town's development to maximise the character, scale and heritage values of the town.

The New Zealand Historic Places Trust supported the aim to maintain the historic character of the town.

Meanwhile the Arrowtown Village Association was neutral in its submission and was "unsupported by any contributing commentary'', Mrs Bennie said.

Arrowtown resident Robert Farrell opposed expansion because it would be out of step with infrastructure for sewage, water, schools, preschools and town-centre facilities, while fellow resident Grant Reid said the "compact character'' of Arrowtown was what made it "unique [and] attractive
to tourists and comfortable as a place in which to live''.

Mrs Bennie said while she was pleased with the outcome of the plan change 29 submissions process, there was still "a long way to go''.

"Residents need to continue to participate in the process and ensure that all QLDC councillors are aware of their views.''