However, the applicant said the small settlement was growing at pace and the store would not stand out among other commercial developments as the area was built out.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council received a record 538 submissions objecting to the application for a liquor licence for the planned Super Liquor outlet at Lake Hāwea during consultation in September.
Gate Group chief executive Glen Christiansen, whose company runs five liquor stores across Otago and Southland, said despite the opposition the company believed it was "still worth pushing forward".
The consent is for a Super Liquor store at the entrance of giant development Longview, which has over 2400 sections for development.
"The township’s population of 2200 is expected to grow to 7000 when all of its large developments are finished."
Mr Christiansen said the town was developing, and the population was growing at pace, which meant businesses would capitalise.
"Those who are saying ‘we will see a bottle store from our house’, yes, you will until the rest of the area is commercially developed.
"We saw the growth and we saw the opportunity to grow the business," Mr Christiansen said.
However, Voices of Lake Hāwea spokesperson Lisa Riley, representing those who submitted against the store, said "development for development’s sake" was a poor argument.
The township lacked infrastructure that all other places took for granted when they had liquor stores in their community.
"We don’t have police, we don’t have medical services, we don’t even have so much as a pharmacy.
"This is the stuff we want to see: dairies, takeaways, cafes, places that build connection.
"[Super Liquor] will be the last thing they see at night, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that this will increase consumption for a lot of people."
Ms Riley said she was pleased with the amount of submissions against the store, but she had little hope of the hearing being decided in favour of those opposing.
She said she and her legal team would be taking the matter to High Court if the decision was made to consent the outlet.
"We are fully ready for the next steps should we not be successful.
"I am not confident that the law is going to be understood and interpreted correctly at this level, but I am confident that it will be at the High Court."
She said the law clearly stated a building and building inspection were required for a licence.
Ms Riley said there had been opponents of her objection, many saying development was inevitable and opposing development in the small town was "nimbyism".
"The moment you have to use terms like that your argument is weak."
The hearing will be held in Wānaka from tomorrow to Friday, and Saturday is listed as a reserve day if required.
A council spokesman said Christopher Cooney would chair the hearing with John Mann and Lyal Cocks as the panel members.
