The trust charged with restoring three neglected historic cottages in Arrowtown will lodge a resource consent to allow the properties to be used for semi-commercial ventures "any day" after the Autumn Festival.
The Arrowtown Trust intends to apply to the Queenstown Lakes District Council to change the Buckingham St cottages' land use from residential to commercial.
Chairman David Clarke said the trust was aiming to create a semi-commercial, mixed-use heritage precinct that showcased eight goldfields buildings and would add to the visitor experience in Arrowtown.
"Hopefully, it won't be seen as a development. The trust has been asked to restore the cottages and find suitable uses for them. Unless you give the cottages an adaptive reuse, they are going to fall into disrepair again, and we want people to enjoy them," he said.
Trust members were looking at potentially suitable tenants for the three cottages.
The trust was collecting affected party approval from 10 surrounding neighbours, who were mostly in favour, Mr Clarke said.
He said that for two years the trust had been discussing with Arrowtown architects what could be built to create a lively historic precinct.
Since 2008, the trust has raised almost $600,000 from the lotteries and community trusts for the extensive restoration of the late 19th-century cottages.
Restoration was likely to be finished by the end of this year, Mr Clarke said.
The former gold-miners' homes date back to the 1860s and 1880s.
They were repiled, replumbed, rewired, refloored and repainted in the original heritage colours, as revealed by paint scraping.
An $85,000 sprinkler system was being installed and drainage was inserted along the frontages to capture run-off water from footpaths and the road.
Romans Cottage is completely restored and painted.
Adams, the middle cottage, awaits exterior painting.
Granny Jones Cottage requires new doors and windows on the north side and repainting.
