Nelson Petroleum Distributors Ltd has lodged resource consent to build and operate a 24-hour service station and car wash on the corner of Frankton-Ladies Mile Highway and Hawthorne Dr, near Five Mile, on land owned by Queenstown Central Ltd.
The tanks would be located to the north of the forecourt and would supply fuel to eight dispenser locations in a four-lane configuration, providing 16 filling positions.
A convenience store would be located in the middle of the site, with a canopy split over the two forecourt areas.
It was proposed to operate the petrol station 24 hours a day and each refuelling island would include an outdoor payment terminal so customers could refuel without entering the convenience store.
The site would operate in a one-way direction, with entry off Hawthorne Dr and exit on to ''Road 9''.
Landscaping was also proposed for the site.
Overall the proposal was a non-complying activity under the Queenstown Lakes District Plan, the application said.
''The proposed activity provides a service to the community and benefits from exposure to passing traffic.
''It is also considered that it is an activity which would provide an appropriate transition between the residential and industrial areas, while not having an effect on the proposed town centre area.''
The application said locating the service station on the eastern access road, formally known as Hawthorne Dr, would encourage heavy traffic flow on to that route, rather than Grant Rd and given it was an arterial road with four lanes it had sufficient capacity to carry traffic associated with the service station.
While it was recognised the site would form ''part of the entry experience into Queenstown'' and a significant amount of development was still to occur on the Frankton Flats, Mitre 10 Mega had recently been constructed and Pak'n Save was under construction.
''It is considered that the proposed activity will not be out of context with these developments.
The application said, overall, it was considered the effects of the proposal were less than minor and, as such, sought to have it processed non-notified.
