The university has applied to the Queenstown Lakes District Council for land-use consent to redevelop the 39,381sqm complex, called Hakitekura, given to it by residents Dick and Jillian Jardine in 2016.
The consent application was lodged in 2020 — at that time, the ODT reported the redevelopment would cost about $12million.
However, in a report to next Thursday’s hearing, independent resource management consultant Wendy Baker recommended consent be refused.
That was, in part, because the proposal was inconsistent with the district plan, did not promote the overall purpose of the Resource Management Act and set an "undesirable precedent" in respect of the proposed wastewater solution.
In its application, prepared by Planz Consultants planner Carmen Taylor, the university stated the site would connect into reticulated services proposed by the council to Homestead Bay.
One of its proposed conditions was for the retreat and conference facility to hold off operating until it was connected to the reticulated water supply and wastewater system.
Hadley Consultants senior civil and environmental engineer Nigel Lloyd gave evidence while wastewater infrastructure for area-wide servicing of the southern corridor was included in the council’s 10-year plan, the timing of this might not fully align with the proposed development.
After several options, including on-site wastewater treatment and disposal, had been assessed, connection to a reticulated wastewater network remained the preferred servicing solution for the ultimate Hakitekura development, Mr Lloyd said.
"In the absence of a currently available connection option, it is proposed to stage the development and provide wastewater servicing for the initial stage of the development by way of on-site collection and off-site disposal by effluent tanker," he said.
The application will be heard by independent commissioners Rachel Dimery and Jane Sinclair next Thursday.
