Gibbston confirms boutique lodge development

Greg Hunt
Greg Hunt
Gibbston Valley Wines is dusting off plans for a multimillion-dollar boutique lodge development.

Chief executive Greg Hunt has confirmed the company intends to build 30 cottages and a central lodge building next year at its winery, about 1km from AJ Hackett's bungy bridge operation.

The development will be a watered-down version of a previously consented development - for a 50-unit hotel.

''There's not an existing winery - certainly south of Marlborough I would say - that will be offering this sort of accommodation on a winery property,'' Mr Hunt said.

''We've got confidence in the market; we're ready to take that next stage of development.''

The latest proposal would comprise separate cottages behind the vineyard, adjacent to the winery.

A two-storeyed central building would house a guest lounge, kitchen and media room on the bottom floor, while upstairs there would be a spa facility.

It would be pitched at the upper end of the market, Mr Hunt said - at a four and a-half star minimum.

''We're doing the concept designs right now.''

He said, ideally, work would start after the next harvest - from next winter, then. The company would seek a variation of an existing consent rather than a fresh application.

He was coy on ball-park construction costs.

The wine-growing area's first major accommodation complex, Kinross Cottages, opened late last year.

Gibbston Valley Wines is in the midst of building a $1 million winemaking facility, which will boost capacity to 45,000 cases a year.

The company has applied for planning permission to build an underpass under State Highway 6 and a new car park across the road.

It also has a consent application for a new wastewater treatment plant, to be built across the road.

david.williams@odt.co.nz

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