Group's public campaign self-serving

A Wakatipu group’s campaign to invoke public sympathy was unfortunate and unfounded, Queenstown Lakes District Council chief executive Duncan Field said.

The Wakatipu Environmental Society last week withdrew an appeal in the Environmental Court taken against minor changes to consent to redevelop the building known as The Emporium in Arrowtown.

“The perception being painted here by the society is that the council has allowed an important heritage building to be demolished. This is a council that has demonstrated that it will do everything within its powers to protect heritage items, including purchasing and restoring buildings, as we have done in Arrowtown,” Mr Field said.

The council had sought and received advice from the New Zealand Historic Places Trust that the original Emporium building had been highly modified.

“It considered that there was merit in saving certain elements of the building and incorporating those into a new and sympathetic development in keeping with the historic precinct. That is what the developer has agreed to do,’ Mr Field said.

The real issue here was that the society had risked its own credibility by first entering into a Consent memorandum which led to a court order allowing for the dismantling of the building. The society then alleged that there had been non compliance with the Court order.

“That required the Council to check that all was in order,” Mr Field said. This resulted in the society withdrawing its threat of court action.

“Then without notice, within a week, the society brought court proceedings,” Mr Field said.

Immediately upon those proceedings being imposed, having been invited by the Court to reconsider its position, the society decided to withdraw the proceeding.

“That has lead to considerable cost to the community and the applicant and unreasonable frustration for all parties,’ Mr Field said.

Painting the council as an anti-heritage, money grabbing entity was ‘self-serving’.

“The council is not seeking costs, the society is aware of that,” Mr Field.