Information provided by the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) to the Wānaka App has not eased a local councillor’s concern about the purchase of a property at Ladies Mile.

Upper Clutha ratepayers will be partly responsible for funding the purchase, redevelopment and ongoing operations of the property, for which the council paid top dollar ($15.5M).

Council said it never intended to reuse the existing 440m2 five-bedroom house, and was only interested in the strategic long-term value of the land adjacent to SH6 between Lake Hayes and Frankton. 

A building report in 2019 - prior to the council making an offer on the property - discovered that parts of the house had moisture levels that meant remediation to cladding would be required. 

In October this year architects looking at retro-fitting design options (at the behest of councillors) discovered toxic mould in the house.

Read more: Upper Clutha will help pick up tab for Ladies Mile property

Wānaka councillor Lyal Cocks says he still had concerns about the council’s process. 

Lyal Cocks says council must move on from the Ladies Mile purchase decision. PHOTO: Supplied

“These range from the price paid, the management of the buildings over the past three years, and the raised expectations of the community,” he said.

The Wānaka App shared with Lyal and deputy mayor Quentin Smith the response it received from the QLDC to a range of questions about the process.

We asked council whether or not it had sought any reduction in price during purchase negotiations because of the poor start of repair of the buildings.

“Council was primarily interested in acquiring the land and the state of the building was not  included in the negotiations,” the QLDC response said.

Council denied leaving the building unattended for three years, allowing the moisture issue to worsen and develop into toxic mould.

“It was never left unattended. We had security in place and can confirm that no one was using  the property.”

Lyal said he looked forward to his concerns being addressed when the council sits down to decide how to deal with the building.   

“We need to learn from this process, move on, deal with the buildings, and develop an affordable plan for the community use of this valuable land asset.”

Quentin did not respond to the Wānaka App’s request for comment.