An 11th-hour appeal against a petrol station for Arrowtown has been withdrawn, clearing the way for work to start at the site.
RD Petroleum was granted consent in January for its $750,000 unmanned fuel station on a bare site on the corner of Berkshire and Wiltshire Sts, comprising two underground tanks and two pumps with diesel and 91 and 98 petrol, under a canopy.
However, on the final day of the appeal period a group of 11 Arrowtown residents, represented by GTodd Law, lodged an appeal with the Environment Court.
Reasons for the appeal included that the commissioner failed to give adequate consideration to the concerns raised in submissions regarding potential adverse effects on the amenity of their residences and the conditions imposed to address them were ''inadequate to provide any form of protection or management of such effects''.
The submissions contended the commissioner was wrong in finding that it would be difficult to close the proposed facility overnight and the decision to grant 24-hour operations was ''not justifiable'' in terms of the evidence produced to the commissioner.
However, RD Petroleum managing director Don Harvey told the Otago Daily Times yesterday the company and appellants had reached agreement after negotiations.
''We have ... agreed to have a close-down period [preventing] vehicle access from 11pm and 5am to appease the neighbours' perceived concerns.
''Hopefully, the neighbours will see their perceived concerns were ill-judged and it won't create any noise whatsoever, but we've done this just to move forward.''
Mr Harvey said changes to the consent had been made and approved by the council, paving the way for construction to begin.
Originally, it was hoped to have the station operational by winter, but that had been delayed due to the appeal.
