Methven resort expansion plans head to Environment Court
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Methven Resort's expansion plans are headed to the Environment Court after a neighbour appealed a decision to grant it consent.
The resort in the Canterbury town had been given the green light on December 22 to build two accommodation wings with 36 units and 40 units, extend the restaurant/bar area, and add a new swimming pool and spa area.
Independent commissioner Darryl Millar granted the consent, but with a raft of conditions.
However, neighbour Mark Brownlie filed his appeal on January 30.
During the hearing last year, Brownlie described the proposed expansion as a “brutal privacy intrusion”.
He said he was not opposed to developing the site, but was against the proposed plan, which would deny him “privacy and outlook”, with the effects “much more than minor”.
Brownlie purchased his section in 2022, under the impression no further development would take place.
That was due to a 2007 council decision to deny an application to expand.
That application was denied because it was determined the resort's initial 1982 consent had been exhausted.
Methven Resort was originally built as Centrepoint Ski Lodge following the 1982 resource consent, but was not developed to the full extent provided for in the consent.
The consent “is enduring and unlimited in time”, Miller determined. There was also no condition that the original 1982 design had to be adhered to.
Brownlie is appealing the latest decision to green-light expansion plans on the grounds that it is a non-complying activity and the proposed height of the west wing exceeds 8m height limitations in the district plan.
He also questioned the validity of applying the original 1982 consent to allow the expansion. He argued the new expansion plans differed from the design that was approved under that consent.
As for the proposal being a non-complying activity, Millar determined that any adverse effects would be acceptable.
In his decision to grant the consent, Millar stated the proposal would achieve the "purpose and principles of the RMA (Resource Management Act)".
Brownlie disagreed with the decision and it will now fall to the Environment Court to determine.
The Environment Court’s practice is often to send the parties into mediation, rather than proceeding directly to court.
The process can take months.
The consent had been processed under limited notification but now it has been appealed to the Environment Court. Under the RMA, other people who have “an interest in the proceedings that is greater than the interest that the general public has” can join proceedings.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
-
61.7% Summer
-
36.7% Winter
-
1.6% Other - I'll share below
Loading…
