The draft plans for Ben Lomond and Queenstown Hill have been in development since August 2021, but did not go out for public consultation until last December.
Ben Lomond, home to commercial attractions including Skyline Enterprises Ltd’s gondola, luge and restaurant attraction and Ziptrek Ecotours, along with walking and mountain-biking trails, comprises 10 parcels of land totalling 419ha.
The Queenstown Hill reserve, which borders Queenstown Hill Station, is known for its walking track, and totals 109ha over four parcels of land.
In relation to the former, Bowen Peak Ltd director Guy Hingston asked the hearing panel, comprising Crs Craig Ferguson (chairman), Matt Wong and Lisa Guy, to consider reworking or editing 20 points to support his company’s plans, focused on the west side of Ben Lomond, near Fernhill.
Mr Hingston said the application, submitted through the Fast-track Approvals Act, had passed compliance — it was waiting to hear if the government would approve the stage 1 referral application.
It included a funicular, or cable railway, rising from Fernhill’s One Mile roundabout towards Fernhill, Ben Lomond and Bowen Peak, and a predator-free fence .
Mr Hingston said the company wanted to enter a public-private partnership to establish a 200ha predator-free sanctuary around the remnant bush. It also wanted to spend about $300,000 to remove wilding pines from the 7ha "Powerhouse reserve", beneath the Fernhill walking track, down to Lake Wakatipu, where there were plans for an "international convention centre".
Also proposed were about 250 chalet-style houses on a 56ha privately owned block west of the reserve, accessed via the funicular, and a new skifield, proposed on Bowen Peak.
Bowen Peak Ltd accepted there was no funding from the council, Department of Conservation, or government to see the "bold plans" become a reality.
"It’s our view that we tap into the visitors through providing these additional activities and use that income to build this.
"From our perspective the public side of this is allowing the reserve to be used for the commercial activities.
"It’s not appropriate, in our view, to ask council for funding — it’s appropriate to ask council for planning permission and support, but in terms of dollars, our business model is around taking funds from international visitors to construct this on reserve land."
Southern Infrastructure is leading the development of a gondola, proposed to link the Queenstown CBD with Frankton and Queenstown Airport.
It is being presented as an anchor project for a regional deal the QLDC is hoping to strike with the government.
Mr Thorne said there was "a degree of catch-up" in the draft plans, to reflect what existed on the reserves at present.
However, there was an opportunity to identify future-focused elements and transport corridors, too.
The panel will advise of a date for deliberations following site visits tomorrow.
