However, while talk of appeals, golfing destinations, economic spin-offs, and tourism numbers has surrounded the Parkins Bay decision, the McRaes said their primary considerations were for their family and those who had supported them in the Wanaka community.
‘‘We're pretty pleased with the result, because it gives us some sort of security about providing a succession plan for our children to continue working the land,'' Mr McRae said.
The pair are keen golfers, members of the Wanaka Golf Club, and have a putting green in their backyard. Building a golf course was about ‘‘doing something which the Wanaka community can enjoy and benefit from'', Mr McRae said.
‘‘We enjoy seeing people able to share in our land,'' he said.
The alternatives to not building a golf resort were not as attractive to the family, because the other options would involve locking the land away from the public, Mr McRae said.
Speaking from Millbrook Resort yesterday evening, Mr and Mrs McRae said they had partaken in ‘‘a quiet celebration'' and had lunch with their golf course business partner John Darby after they heard of the decision.
During resource consent hearings, the McRaes made no secret about their desire to provide a succession plan for their children John (32), Anna (30) and Kirsten (27) to take over and share in the operation of their 2900ha farm.
Diversifying income streams from their land to free capital meant the farming operation could pass on to farm manager John without saddling him with large debts, Mr McRae said.
However, commissioners Neville Marquet, David Clarke and Jane Taylor all commented in their decisions that ‘‘farm succession'' and the ‘‘personal circumstances, or financial difficulties'' of applicants could not be considered under planning law.
Mr McRae said he thought commissioners needed to do more to consider the situations of when long-time, ‘‘often generational'' farmers who have contributed to local communities sought the means to provide for and keep their families on the land.
