A proposed food truck garden venture on Brownston Street has stalled as an appeal has been lodged by nearby residential owners.

Last December, consent was granted to the Teat Family Trust to establish a landscaped food truck village on its property at 46-50 Brownston Street - directly opposite the current location of several local food trucks. 

Despite a raft of conditions being imposed with the consent to ameliorate its effect on the neighbourhood, an appeal has been lodged with the Environment Court, Casey Teat said.

Casey said the appeal covered a number of issues of which potential noise and cooking smells were the chief concerns.

The conditions imposed during the consent process included the implementation of a noise management plan which ensures the food stalls had to be positioned close to Brownston Street; a 2m high acoustic fence be erected on all boundaries except the street frontage; and all operations, including the sale of alcohol and playing music, would be restricted to 9:30pm.

Casey said the trust’s lawyers were working through the appeal process and hoped mediation would resolve the appellants’ concerns.

The proposal would provide a permanent space for a maximum of 10 food trucks/stalls, operating daily from 7:30am to 9:30pm. The 3036m2 site also includes a cottage and garage, which could be used for ‘pop-up’ retail spaces, as well as onsite parking for staff, bike stands and toilets.

When granting the original consent, the commissioners acknowledged that the activity would attract people to a site which until now has not been used, and that would have some impact on the privacy of adjoining residents. 

However, they also said the unique proposal would leave a much lighter “footprint” than any other development, such as a visitor accommodation operation, which had already been consented but had lapsed. 

He said there is local and nationwide interest in the food village proposal. “Wanaka is a growing town so there is lots of interest from hospitality groups looking at potential market options and what’s available,” he said.

PHOTO: Wanaka App