A decision on the proposed Parkins Bay golf resort near Wanaka has still not been released, with the delay now 50 days over the recommended statutory framework for a resource consent application.
The Resource Management Act outlines a recommended decision-making framework of 70 working days for notified consent applications which proceed to an independent commissioners hearing.
Lakes Environmental records yesterday showed the Parkins Bay decision processing time at 119 working days and counting.
Glendhu Station farmers Bob and Pam McRae and Queenstown development company Darby Partners Ltd first lodged their resource consent application for the Parkins Bay development in January last year.
The statutory framework covers the time taken for a decision from when a resource consent application is received by a council planning body, but does not include delays, which may include requests for further information, or reconvened hearings.
The proposed golf resort, with 50 associated residential dwellings, has been the subject of two hearings before commissioners - in August and December last year - and also two requests for further information, after the December hearing.
Parkins Bay project manager Brett Thomson, of Queenstown, said he had been advised a decision from independent commissioners Neville Marquet, Jane Taylor, both of Queenstown, and David Clarke, of Arrowtown, was ''supposed to be out this week''.
Mr Thomson said they were ''not too worried'' about the decision timeframes, because the application was very complex and full of ''comprehensive detail''.
However, the sooner a decision was made available, the sooner the applicants could proceed with their next steps.
Queenstown Lakes District Council regulatory body Lakes Environmental processes resource consent applications, but has no say over independent commissioners.
Lakes Environmental resource consent manager Rachel Beer said the Parkins Bay decision was an exceptional case.
She provided information about notified consent hearings since the start of the year, which showed 12 applications were made and the average processing time as 76 working days, with four of the hearing decisions coming in under the 70-day statutory time-frame.
Cardrona Valley gondola applicants John and Sam Lee, directors of gondola parent company One Black Merino, have agreed to a two-page list of conditions sent to them recently by independent commissioners Christine Kelly and Jane Taylor.
The Lees' proposed gondola up to their twin Pisa Range skifield operations, Snow Park and Snow Farm, has been awaiting a decision for 64 working days having lodged their application in July, last year.
Mr Lee said the list of conditions they agreed to, were ''almost exactly the
same'' as those offered during their resource consent hearing for the gondola, held in October, last year.
