The Arthur's Point Protection Society and the Queenstown Lakes District Council are to enter into mediation over how to measure helicopter noise within general noise standards.
The agreement came at the Environment Court pre-hearing conference in Queenstown last Friday.
The society is appealing the introduction of the Helicopter Standard to the council's district plan via Plan Change 27A: Updating Noise Assessment and Measurement Standards.
When the society's Resource Management Act appeal was heard at the Queenstown District Court, Judge Jon Jackson asked society secretary-treasurer Chris Streat and council solicitor Jayne Macdonald if mediation was required.
Peter Fleming appeared for himself and on instruction from absent fellow interested party Denzel Palmer.
Both counsels agreed to mediation and Mr Fleming said he was content to "listen in".
Ms Macdonald told the court Totally Tourism had withdrawn its application for helipad consent, which had a link to the appeal.
In early June, the scenic tour and adventure operator failed in its appeal of a condition restricting the number of landings to four a day at a helicopter pad opposite the Coronet Peak Hotel.
Judge Jackson declined the waiver application by Totally Tourism in early June because it was14 months late.
Following the agreement on mediation, the judge adjourned the matter to the next pre-hearing conference in late November or early December.
He told counsels if mediation was not successful, and he hoped it would be, they should organise a timetable for the simultaneous exchange of evidence.
Speaking to Mr Streat, the judge said: "If this goes to a hearing you will almost certainly need expert witnesses and that would be expensive.
"It might pay for the community to bundle together and get an expert ... without an expert you may be struggling."
Mr Streat said the society had intended to seek expert planning and acoustic evidence.
The appeal against a council decision to extend the use of the existing Arthur's Pt helipad has cost the society more than $35,000 and hundreds of hours of voluntary work since it formed in December 2008.
