Board members voted to leave a lodged application from Stoney Creek Village Ltd to fell two ash specimens from the tree-lined avenue "lying on the table", at yesterday's monthly meeting in Wanaka.
Stoney Creek Village Ltd wants to cut down the old trees because they are in the path of an unformed legal road, which will give access to the proposed retirement village off Mt Aspiring Rd in the Meadowstone suburb.
The retirement village proposal and move to fell the trees has angered neighbours, who have formed a group to protest the controversial development.
Stoney Creek's village proposal has become bogged down in the resource consent process, after a restrictive building height covenant for its 1.83ha site was lodged during a public submission period in December, last year.
The developers want to build a 97-unit apartment complex, comprising 10 buildings which would range in height between 7.4m and 12.2m. The covenant over the land restricts building heights to 7m above ground level.
Stoney Creek planning consultant Mark Brown, of Christchurch, told board members a separate assessment of the tree-felling application was needed, independently of the retirement village.
Cutting the trees down was allowed under the council's district plan and his clients had a right to fell them because they blocked an unformed legal public road.
However, the leaders of a protest against the felling told board members the proposal was wrong.
Long-time Wanaka resident Jill Blennerhassett said the old trees were historically significant. They had been brought from England during the late 1800s, and planted at the homestead site of Wanaka Station.
Protest group spokesman Bruce MacAndrew said the tree-lined avenue of 22 ash specimens deserved protection.
Queenstown Lakes District Council parks manager Gordon Bailey said he had been advised that the trees should be protected, and if board members agreed, Stoney Creek would need resource consent to fell the two trees.
Board members voted to leave the motion, because more "balanced", "expert" advice, and planning and legal information was needed before a decision could be considered.
