Arrowtown winery owners have approval to subdivide a swath of Arrowtown land.
But neighbour Dame Elizabeth Hanan, who opposed the application, still has concerns.
Mount Soho owners Ed and Carol Lamont have been granted consent to carve up their 42ha on the corner of McDonnell and Hogan Gully Rds for six homes.
Ed Lamont said: "We’ve carefully planned the houses to sit in comfortable places without creating too much effect on the environment.
"Once they come up and get a bit of growth round them, I think they’ll fold in quite nicely to the land."
The Lamonts have a home and the winery on the land at present.
"The grand plan is to realise some of my investment and reduce my responsibility to keep the whole big property in as good a condition as I’ve got it in."
But Dame Elizabeth believed the development, especially with a special housing area (SHA) retirement village planned across the road, would put pressure on infrastructure.
"We don’t want a Glenda Dr situation at that corner, the build-up of traffic.
"It’s getting to the point now of almost needing a roundabout."
Dame Elizabeth was also concerned about the water supply and sewerage system.
"They’re going to connect to the Arrowtown water supply along McDonnell Rd and also the Norfolk St sewerage station.
"Both of those are already at capacity now and needing upgrades.
"Is the ratepayer going to be saddled with those upgrades?"
Commissioners determined the land could absorb the proposed buildings.
Dame Elizabeth would like a voice at the hearing into the 12ha Arrowtown Lifestyle Retirement Village but that is a government-approved SHA so only immediate neighbours can object.
"We feel they’ve used the wrong Act," she says.
"With the Resource Management Act, everyone can have a say."
Ed Lamont was more philosophical about the changes, calling it "evolution".
"Otherwise we’d still be living in caves like troglodytes. The world’s population has doubled in my lifetime and will again. Where are they going to fit in? Well, somewhere.‘‘If it’s done nicely, everyone will get along."
- Paul Taylor
