Almost three days have been set down early next year for commissioners David Mead, Jan Caunter and Scott Stevens to decide on the fate of the Sanderson Group Ltd's Queenstown Country Club, proposed on two tracts of land at Ladies Mile.
The development covers a total land area of about 52ha - the northern site on the Frankton-Ladies Mile Highway and the southern tract located beside Jones Ave, connecting Lake Hayes Estate and Shotover Country.
On completion a 244 residential-unit retirement village with hospital care and commercial facilities is planned, along with an 88-unit residential retirement village and 26 residential lots in Onslow Rd.
Eighty affected parties were served with a limited notification for the $250million development in October after it was approved under the Housing Accord and Special Housing Areas Act by Housing Minister Nick Smith in July.
Twelve submissions were received - two in support, three in opposition and the remainder seeking further consideration.
Among those in the latter category was the airport corporation which raised the increased risk of bird strike as one of its concerns.
QAC's submission said the significant amount of earthworks resulted in a potential for standing pools of water to form.
Further, part of the proposal included the establishment of a cafe and the formalisation of an existing swampy area to create a pond.
``QAC is concerned regarding the potential encouragement of the congregation of birds below, or in close proximity to, the centreline of the approach and takeoff slopes for Queenstown Airport.''
The site was in a ``complex location'' from an aviation perspective and was within QAC's Airport Approach and Land Use Controls Designation.
``To enable QAC to consider the potential effects of bird strike that may result from the proposed ponded area at [the cafe], a report from a suitably qualified and experienced ornithologist should be provided and its recommendations and conclusions should be implemented.
``If that is not possible, QAC considers that a precautionary approach should be adopted and this aspect of the consent should be declined.''
The airport corporation also had concerns about dust and temporary lighting during construction affecting pilots but it believed those effects could be appropriately mitigated by conditions.
Those in opposition to the proposal were Keri and Roland Lemaire-Sicre, owners of the Ladies Mile Pet Lodge; nearby residents Angela and Peter Thompson; and a group of residents at Risinghurst Tce, within the Shotover Country development.
The resource consent hearing is scheduled to begin on January 16.
