The resident, who does not want to be named, is concerned the Queenstown Lakes District Council has ignored the impact on surrounding residents in terms of privacy issues, noisy comings and goings and increased traffic on what is already a narrow, congested thoroughfare.
"The [planners’] report appears to imply ‘nothing to see here’".
The consent was issued in August, then the property — 4 and 6 Hallenstein St — was on-sold at auction last month for $3.91 million.
Amanda Robinson, co-founder of active travel group The Lightfoot Initiative, also does not think development should be carte blanche, and suggested "the built environment around Hallenstein St requires significant work to cope with any increase of traffic or the use of active travel modes".
A traffic assessment report for the applicant noted no detailed traffic generation assessment had been undertaken as it applied only to developments of more than 100 units.
The council’s planning and development general manager David Wallace empathised with the resident, but said this type of development was anticipated by the high-density residential zoning, and the time for input was when the zoning was out for consultation.
