Plans for a salmon fishing venture and restaurant at Albert Town have the support of many submitters, but those in opposition - including Fish and Game - have shared concerns.
The deadline for submissions was last night.
Twenty-two had been lodged yesterday, but more were expected. Wanaka couple Graham and Hayley Lee want Queenstown Lakes District Council consent for their ''Waireka Springs Recreation Centre'', on 13ha near the corner of the Wanaka-Luggate and Albert Town-Lake Hawea roads, beside the Cardrona River.
Two-thirds of the submissions support the idea, saying it would increase tourism and Wanaka needed another ''passive'' attraction.
''Wanaka desperately needs another family orientated activity and this ... ticks all the boxes,'' Patrick Perkins said, while Lynn and Brian Weedon said they had visited similar attractions and ''consider it would be a positive addition to Wanaka''.
Submitters also supported the jobs the venture could create, with the Lees anticipating at least 17 permanent staff would be needed, and believing it would have minimal environmental impact.
The proposal includes a main fishing pond for trophy fish, which had already been built, and two holding ponds, connected by Cameron's Creek, a tributary of the Cardrona River.
Salmon would not be bred at the proposed centre - the fish would be supplied by High Country Salmon near Twizel.
Screens would keep the salmon out of Cameron's Creek and the Cardrona River, to protect native fish.
A playground, wetland, alpine area and tracks are also proposed, along with accessory buildings.
The Lees anticipated the centre would be open daily from 10am until 11pm and would, after three years, attract 60,000 people a year, or an average of 165 a day, and up to 500 on peak days.
The traffic and people noise were major concerns for most of the opposing submitters.
''The dwellings and sections that have been purchased in the area were done so on the understanding that this and the surrounding area were residential in nature and not commercial,'' Tracy and Mark Broadley said.
''This area is zoned rural residential and not residential - peace and quiet is one of the reasons we moved here,'' agreed Ken and Margaret Cochrane.
Submitters Simon and Vickie Moses commissioned Wellington noise and environmental consultants Malcolm Hunt and Associates to assess the effects.
They found - particularly given the applicant indicated the district plan noise rules would be breached - that submitters and the council needed more information about the noise effects.
Submitters were also worried the site was flood-prone and the development could affect drinking water quality, with many residents' water coming from bores near Cameron's Creek.
''Heavy rainfall will cause the ponds to overflow, contaminating the drinking water and upsetting the ecological balance,'' Mike Pearce said.
Fish and Game shared such concerns, saying the proposal was not in keeping with the Conservation Act 1987, including protecting rivers and their margins from ''inappropriate development'' and protecting trout and salmon habitat.
The application failed to adequately assess the environmental effects on water quality, fish habitat and fish health, the organisation said, and it wrongly indicated Fish and Game had thrown its support behind the proposal.
• Jessica Maddock
