Architect Fred van Brandenburg was optimistic the Olive Leaf parish centre, proposed for land beside St Patrick's Church, would be approved, despite some community opposition to the building.
Church neighbour Wayne Hulls has formed the ``NOLEAF Group'', which aims to encourage as many people as possible to submit against the ``unusual `leaf'-shaped building''.
Mr Hulls told the Otago Daily Times he planned to form an incorporated society to fight the proposal.
``I haven't found one person yet who's really, enthusiastically for it.
``Most people you talk to say `What?'.
``If they do know about it they say `No, we don't want that' and if they don't know about it they're bloody surprised, because it hasn't had much publicity, really.''
The proposed multipurpose building would feature an entrance and forecourt just over 2m below ground level, with a pedestrian ramp leading to a courtyard accessed from Hertford St.
A lower level would include The Mary MacKillop Space, The Reflections Room, a chapel and a Wall of Remembrance, as well as a residential area, with private access from Merioneth St, which could be made available for a live-in caretaker and visiting clergy.
Leaflets given to people who attended public meetings in Arrowtown earlier this month said the building would have a ``minimal visual impact as seen from eye level''.
``This is because the building has been sunk 2.2m below the church building level, so the only portion of the building that protrudes above the ground is the stone-clad roof.
``In addition, the use of natural material like stone and brick and other ceramic finishes will make it seem to emerge naturally out of the terrain.''
The roof, to be shaped like an olive leaf, would span the full length of the building as a seemingly free-standing leaf, cantilevered from a stem.
Mr Hulls, who signed a petition against the proposal sent to Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin Colin Campbell in March, said in an email announcing the formation of the group the proposal did not meet district plan requirements for new buildings within Arrowtown's historic zone ``in terms of being in keeping with the special character of Arrowtown''.
However, Mr van Brandenburg disagreed.
``We believe we comply with the design guidelines.
``Regardless of guidelines, they're not rules.''
The district plan aimed to identify and draw public attention to important heritage features and make provision for ``new development that expresses the era of construction and can be distinguished from historic buildings''.
``That doesn't mean to say you need to do something that's insensitive or insults the character of the area, so I have deliberately dug the building in as low as I possibly can.
``By digging so low it means that you have an uninterrupted view of the church building, so the historic church building then gets enhanced and the juxtaposition between old and new complement each other.
``People who have never seen the building and they haven't seen what I'm doing, automatically jump to conclusions I'm doing something that's out of character, but it isn't.''
Mr van Brandenburg said he was not ``at all'' surprised by the opposition to the proposal.
``With every project I do, I'll have people that will be supporters of it and opponents because that's the nature of the beast.
``There's the silent majority who speak to me privately and leave messages on the phone to say what a wonderful project it is ... and then you'll get the vocal minority ...
``It's like this with every project you ever do, especially if it's an unusual project.
``And this one is an unusual project.''
However, the Resource Management Act would enable everyone to make their own submissions, for and against, before any decision was made, he said.
About 40 people attended public meetings over two nights earlier this month for Mr van Brandenburg to provide an update and answer any questions.
Consultation would be ongoing, he said.
