Several Wanaka residents spoke out at a hearing yesterday against a proposed mini-golf development on reserve land.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council publicly notified its intention to grant a sub-lease over part of the Wanaka Golf Course to Lake Outlet Holiday Park operator Glenn Tattersall, of Wanaka Fun Park Limited, for a mini-golf business. Some of the land would be available to the council for public car parking.
The proposal attracted 16 opposing submissions, five in support and two neutral.
Golf club administration manager Kim Badger said the club faced declining membership and the proposal, which had the "majority support" of club members, was an opportunity to generate extra income without increasing green fees.
Graham Dickson said the council needed to be "very careful" about losing a "prime piece of public land" to commercial use.
"It would be no more appropriate on this piece of land than it would be on Pembroke Park or Wanaka Station Park."
Paterson Pitts principal planner Robin Patterson, on behalf of Mr Tattersall, said there was nothing in the Reserves Act to preclude leasing of reserve land to a commercial entity, which was "standard practice".
However, Mr Dickson and John Coe argued a mini-golf development was against the lease terms under the Reserves Act, which stated a business "must be necessary to enable the public to obtain the benefit and enjoyment of that reserve".
"A private business that has nothing to do with reserves or, in actual fact, the golf club, falls well outside those criteria," Mr Coe said.
Wanaka Residents Association treasurer Roger Gardiner raised concerns over the "absence of information" on the proposal's specifics, such as lease terms and infrastructure.
"We're being expected to trust the golf club and the council to get it right and I believe there should be much, much fuller disclosure to the public so they can be informed and make the correct decision," Mr Gardiner said.
Roger Boyd questioned the "integrity" of the process, and pointed out the council was assigned to approving or declining the proposal, despite having a vested interest in it.
Mr Tattersall said he was a "little disappointed" at suggestions the company was "doing something underhanded or in some way subverting the natural course of how things should be done".
He was confident it was a "sustainable and profitable proposal that would contribute long term to the community".
Hearings panel chairman Leigh Overton said a recommendation would be made to the council before its next meeting on August 14.
