Businessman Mike Almquist had proposed a winery/distillery be built on his Arrowtown property. Queenstown-Lakes planning staff had recommended consent be refused and a hearing into the proposal took place on Thursday in Queenstown. The hearing was not completed on Thursday and will reconvene next week.
Mr Almquist built a winery in Washington State in 2008, before realising he needed somewhere with more longevity for his future grandchildren and great-grandchildren to take over, hence moving to Central Otago, he said yesterday.
The hearing was chaired by Dr Lee Beattie, alongside commissioner Rachel Dimery.
The site at 305 McDonnell Rd is located in the Wakatipu Basin Rural Amenity Zone (WBRAZ) and is enclosed by topography. It contains an existing shed and is accessed via a formed accessway off McDonnell Rd.
There is an existing resource consent on the site, but the applicant wants it to be cancelled.
The proposed building would have an overall gross floor area of 1391sq m.
The distillery facilities, which would include fermentation areas, would cover 556sq m, the distillery and cellar would take up 369sq m and a cafe and tasting room, 259sq m.
Lane Neave counsel Katharine Hockly, representing opposing neighbours, cited concerns of disturbance to the quiet, rural aesthetic and potential traffic hazards.
She submitted the proposed development was non-compliant and exceeded limits within the district plan and the WBRAZ, and would create "adverse effects more than minor" to the surrounding environment, residents and character.
Mr Almquist’s solicitor Jayne Macdonald produced evidence regarding landscape architecture, traffic engineering, acoustics and viticulture.
The hearing was adjourned by Dr Beattie.
Ms Macdonald is to give her summary in a week’s time to conclude the hearing.
