A Queenstown planner is querying new district plan rules affecting all development proposals in the wider Lake Hayes catchment.

Under policy 24.2.4.2, applicants have to explain how their proposal improves Lake Hayes’ water quality, in view of the picturesque lake’s long-term degradation.

Clark Fortune McDonald’s Nick Geddes says the policy ‘‘appears to be slightly shortsighted’’.

‘‘There’s no exclusion from the policy or there’s no consideration that development may not be able to contribute to enhancing water quality.

‘‘And keeping in mind, when you mitigate any environmental effects, you should be doing so in a consent on your own site.

‘‘You can’t just waltz off to [Lake Hayes’ main tributary] Mill Creek and start whacking in some flax bushes — if it’s not on your own site, you don’t enjoy that mitigation.’’

Geddes says the only other option is donating to groups working to enhance Lake Hayes — though a council planner has stated ‘‘some catchment groups no longer accept contributions’’.

However, he’s confident the issue will be sorted out, and says ‘‘it’s good it raises awareness at least there are water quality issues’’.

Friends of Lake Hayes chair Mike Hanff says ‘‘the implementation of the rules is what the issue is, probably, rather than the policy’’.

It’s a policy his group had been pushing for since 2017 — ‘‘we needed some regulatory support’’.

‘‘The whole thing about the lake, historically, it’s been death by 100 cuts, and all the little things add up.

‘‘It’s not about stopping people building garages, it’s about improving the lake.

‘‘We have to keep the sediment/nutrient load down, and everybody who lives in the catchment, including myself, contributes to that.’’

However, Hanff accepts the issue more directly affects someone living beside Mill Creek.

‘‘The good thing, for starters, is we’re having this conversation, I’m sure there’s a solution everyone can work with.’’

Commenting on the issue, council media man Sam White says: ‘‘There’s a policy within the district plan that requires applicants for resource consents in the specific rural amenity zone in the Lake Hayes catchment area to demonstrate how their application will improve water quality in the lake.

‘‘Council staff are on hand to explain more about this policy to anyone wishing to apply for such a consent.’’

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