Skyline Enterprises Ltd’s application for a multi-storey car park in Queenstown will be heard by the Environment Court.
Skyline’s counsel, Graeme Todd, applied to the Queenstown Lakes District Council to have the company’s resource consent for the car park, with capacity for at least 350 spaces, directly referred to the court.
In his request Mr Todd said the company’s application for a $100 million-plus upgrade to its existing gondola and upper and lower terminals was directly referred to the court and heard last year.
The decision to grant or decline consent for the car park would directly affect the consent for the earlier application for the redevelopment.
Mr Todd submitted if the council heard and declined consent, the company was likely to appeal to the Environment Court.
Alternatively, if consent was granted by the council, it was likely to be appealed by another party to the court.
Any hearing and appeal would result in significant delays and duplication of costs and it was submitted it was in the best interests of Skyline, submitters, the council and general public for the application to be determined as soon as possible.
A meeting was held on Thursday last week involving Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult, councillors Calum MacLeod and Tony Hill, council chief executive Mike Theelen, planning and development general manager Tony Avery and planning practice manager Blair Devlin to discuss the direct referral application.
Minutes from that meeting said on the motion of Mr Boult and Cr Hill the council resolved to accept the direct referral application and note the council expert witness, legal and other costs associated with the processing of the direct referral be met by Skyline.
Mr Todd earlier told the ODT the Environment Court had indicated it could hear the car park application in June, after which a decision on it, and a final decision on the redevelopment application, could be issued.
Subject to consent, the project is estimated to take about four years to complete.
