Fundraising for court battle

Opponents of a luxury lodge development proposed for Queenstown’s Bob’s Cove are fundraising for a last-ditch battle in the Environment
Court.

A 14-strong group of residents has started raising money to cover the cost of arguing their case against B Property Group’s Waimarino Luxury Lodge development.

The company lodged a resource consent application in 2021 to build 24 luxury villas, each on a freehold title, and communal facilities on a
1.8-hectare site overlooking the scenic bay about a 15-minute drive from central Queenstown.

Despite a Queenstown council planner’s recommendation that consent be granted, independent commissioners rejected the proposal in late 2022, prompting the company to appeal the decision in the Environment Court.

The appeal will be heard over four days from April 29.

Bob’s Cove Punatapu Community Trust member Carolin Friese says the group was unable to reach agreement with the company and council during court-ordered mediation last September.

They’re determined to protect the feeling of remoteness people have when they visit the bay, whether they’re locals or tourists, Friese says.

‘‘It’s probably the last spot worth fighting for in Queenstown when it comes to untouched lake access.’’

The residents formed the trust last year to scrutinise potential development and to provide ongoing support for conservation activity such as
pest control.

After raising about $30,000 for legal counsel during mediation, the trust needs to raise a further $60,000 — on a Givealittle ‘Save Bob’s Cove’ page — to engage legal counsel, a landscape architect, resource management planner and ecologist.

B Property Group chief executive Andrew McIntosh says it’s unfortunate a minority of the area’s residents are fundraising to ‘‘make lawyers wealthy’’.

‘‘Maybe we haven’t conveyed the story well enough to make them understand.

‘‘It’s a modern Matakauri [Lodge], it’s a boutique lodge, all single-level, almost all the site’s vegetated, and it’s all got living roofs.’’

His experts continue to tell him the proposal makes a ‘‘really good case’’, McIntosh says.

Under the site’s rural residential zoning, the alternative to the company’s proposal is four homes already allowed on the land as a permitted activity.

‘‘And unfortunately because of the cost of land out there, the four houses wouldn’t be small.’’

Other sentences

Sentenced by Judge Stephen O’’Driscoll in Queenstown’s court this week:

● Kevin Micheal James Johnston, 36, of Queenstown, drink-driving (694mcg), Stanley St, January 18; suspended driving, Frankton Rd, January 19, 80 hours’ community work, disqualified 15 months.

● Wen Hao Hung, 26, of Taiwan, careless driving causing injury, Glenorchy-Queenstown Rd, February 21, reparation $4000, disqualified six months.

● Elsa Marylise Dominique Leperlier, 31, retailer, of Albert Town, drink-driving (124mg), careless driving, Camp Hill Rd, Hāwea Flat, November 16, fined $500, reparation $8500, medical and analyst fees $261.99, disqualified six months.

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