The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has recommended the proposed Northlake Hotel be rejected.

The proposed 113-room hotel at the Northlake subdivision was opposed by almost all residents who submitted on the proposal recently: 141 opposed and just one was neutral.

The hotel would include a restaurant, bar and gym for guests only; plus car parking and bus access. It would require the demolition of a community tennis court and would be built on a current greenspace (‘business park’).

QLDC senior planner Sarah Gathercole recommended the application be rejected. “In light of the approved Outline Development Plan, which provided an integrated development and sets the expectation for this central community village, I consider the adverse effects on the community from the proposed hotel in this location inappropriate,” she said.

She said the hotly debated proposed removal of the community tennis courts at Northlake was unacceptable. “The removal of the courts would have unacceptable adverse effects on the community’s amenities and character of Northlake,” she said. Removing the tennis courts and replacing them with a hotel would also “result in adverse effects on the amenity and recreation values currently experienced within this area and on the owners and occupiers of adjacent properties,” she said. 

The hotel would be located in a current greenspace, described as a ‘business park’. The image here does not show the tennis courts, which would be demolished in order to accommodate the hotel. IMAGE: Via QLDC

The size of the two large buildings which would comprise the hotel was also unacceptable, Sarah said. “[The large buildings] may result in a range of different effects, including shadowing and dominance arising from the larger built form.”

Parking and traffic was also a concern: the off-site coach parks could result in unacceptable adverse traffic, amenity and character effects and the noise arising from the activity may have adverse effects on neighbouring properties. Sarah was also concerned the number of car parks indicated might not be sufficient.

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The proposal would also undermine the community’s commercial area. “I consider this change in use in this location to compromise the community’s commercial and amenity area which will have consequential and unacceptable adverse effects.”

Sarah’s statements echo the sentiment of many of the submitters who opposed the hotel.

The resource consent hearing for the proposed Northlake Hotel will be held in Wanaka on May 14, heard by independent commissioners Ian Munro and Jane Sinclair. Twenty-six submitters have indicated they will speak to their submissions at the hearing.

PHOTO: Supplied