A community watchdog group has shared its conditional support for the proposed Wānaka film park.

The Upper Clutha Environmental Society (UCES) says the social and economic benefits would “far outweigh” the adverse land effects of the $280M film park.

Silverlight Studios applied to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) for fast-tracked consent to transform farmland near Wānaka Airport into a film park complete with studios, production offices, a film school, and replicas of famous cities, earlier this year.

Plans for the film park were first made public in March and it has received endorsements from the district’s mayor Jim Boult and deputy mayor Calum Macleod, the town’s tourism organisation (Lake Wānaka Tourism), its chamber of commerce Ignite Wānaka, and Film Otago-Southland. 

The UCES has now added its support.

UCES secretary Julian Haworth’s submission on the proposed film park has the society’s “in general” support because of the positives, “especially in terms of employment and economic diversity”.

It also “mainly supports” the design of the proposal because it integrates buildings into the landscape while leaving large areas of the site undeveloped. 

However, the society has concerns about the scale of development adjacent to the Outstanding Natural Landscape zoned Clutha River corridor, one of a number of issues which “must be taken into account when consideration is given to granting consent,” Julian said.

Julian made a series of consent condition recommendations, including a comprehensive landscape masterplan to be developed for the site; a no-build covenant for areas proposed to be retained as open rural land (excluding temporary structures built for less than six months); and a requirement that no buildings or structures should be permitted within 200 metres of the northern boundary of the subject site.

Julian also suggested Silverlight Studios finance half of a dedicated cycle track, which could be used by the whole community, between the SH6 West Coast junction and the film park’s entrance.

He also said he assumed that the 35-residence subdivision already consented on the site would be surrendered if the film park is consented. 

Silverlights Studios was given government approval to apply for a fast-tracked consent application under special Covid-19 rules and an expert consenting panel will consider the application.