Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) records show the consent application is on hold while the developer answers a suite of questions from QLDC planner Steve Blackmore regarding the protection of two giant sequoia trees, vehicle access, stormwater and wastewater modelling and flood hazard zones.
When the development company, JProp#3 Pty Ltd, bought 27 Eely Point Rd in December 2022, the deal set the 2022-23 summer’s record for a Wānaka residential sale.
Real estate agents had marketed the 1.1ha property as having potential for 20 houses.
Since completing the purchase, the developer has removed many mature trees from the densely-vegetated site.
In August, the developer was granted consent to create a separate 919sqm lot and title for one of the existing dwellings (lot 10).
At that time a tree protection consent condition was placed over the balance of the lot, in relation to two protected giant sequoia trees.
In October, the larger subdivision application was lodged by the developer’s planners Phil Shipton and Duncan White of Paterson Pitts, who submitted it would be appropriate to proceed without public notification.
These are the two lots the trees are growing on (lots 5 and 9), and two lots neighbouring the sequoias (lots 6 and 7).
Lot 9 is the proposed subdivision’s largest lot (1990sqm) and also contains the second dwelling, an old cottage known by some older locals as "Granny Bremner’s Cottage".
Mr White supplied an updated report by arborist David Spencer on December 19 and confirmed the developer had agreed to a peer review of Mr Spencer’s report.
Mr White has asked Mr Blackmore to clarify the council’s engineering requirements regarding a private right of way off Kidson Lane for eight of the 12 lots.
The other lots would be accessed from Eely Point Rd.
Scheme plans show wastewater and stormwater connections, including a "scruffy dome", to address overland overflow and ponding.
The Paterson Pitts planners said the new piped stormwater system should mitigate and reduce flood hazards and water pooling on the site. They have also noted the council has indicated to the developer it would reinstate a swale along Eely Point Rd. .
In their opinion, the 12-lot subdivision was "logical and legible", the Kidson Lane access would not alter an unsealed section of the lane (predominantly used by cyclists and pedestrians) and the estimated increase in traffic movements to 130 per day was "considered minor".
They concluded the subdivision plan would not alter the existing character of the neighbourhood and would have effects that were "no more than minor".
