Plan for 500-plus homes: Hurdle set to be cleared

A planned residential development that could bring more than 500 homes to the shores of Lake Dunstan looks set to clear a significant hurdle this week, if district councillors approve a plan change.

Parkburn is at present a quarry off State Highway 6 (SH6), near Pisa Moorings, but quarry owner Fulton Hogan has plans to convert it into a residential development, along with smaller commercial and industrial sectors.

The 118ha site would have 91ha for residential development, 3ha for business or retail and 24ha for industrial development.

There would be a limit of 543 residential allotments.

Fulton Hogan declined to comment when contacted and has not revealed when the quarry may close and the development proceed.

The development requires a private district plan change — plan change 21 — to its land zoning to go ahead.

Central Otago District Council principal policy planner Ann Rogers is recommending the council accepts the suggestion of an independent hearings panel and approve the plan change at this Wednesday’s council meeting.

In February, the panel of two independent commissioners, Gary Rae and Rosalind Day-Cleavin, together with Central Otago District councillor Ian Cooney, heard Fulton Hogan wanted to convert its Parkburn quarry, which borders Pisa Moorings to the west, into 543 lots for residential settlement.

It also wants to have a retail area and industrial zone.

At the hearing , council consultant planner Liz White said the proposal was a way to rehabilitate an existing quarry at the end of its life, which distinguished it slightly from proposals that planned to use productive land.

While the Cromwell spatial plan focused on providing for additional demand in the existing town area rather than satellite developments, her decision on Parkburn was finely balanced, but in favour of the proposed plan change.

The development has not been without controversy. Both the Education Ministry and NZ Transport Agency have raised concerns about the proposal.

The increase in population from the Parkburn development had not been factored into the projected growth of school rolls, and NZTA had concerns about traffic flows and an increase in private vehicle use.

The development is about 10km from Cromwell and no public transport is available.

The argument a precedent would be set by allowing the development was dismissed by Ms White.

The development adjoined Pisa Moorings and would extend an existing area of urban development, rather than establishing a new one, she said.

The development of the site would rely heavily on private vehicle use.

But the site was highly accessible from SH6 and a cycle trail alongside Lake Dunstan, she said.

julie.asher@odt.co.nz