For eight years the Olive Leaf Centre Trust has tried to gain resource consent for the design but to no avail, says Trust chairman Colin Bellett.

The plan to build the Centre next to the church has therefore been abandoned.

He says the Trust has also ruled out making a revised consent application after considering legal advice.

The Trust had come to the conclusion that virtually "nothing at all" could be built on the site, regardless of whether the design was contemporary or traditional Bellet says.

While Bellet and those supporting the olive leaf design are disappointed at having to abandon what they saw as a good idea, those opposing the plan are pleased.

NoLeaf is an incorporated society which was formed to oppose the project. Its chairwoman Susan Rowley says NoLeaf supporters felt "deep relief" the matter was not going to the High Court.

In the beginning

Eight years ago, an Olive Leaf design was selected for a multipurpose parish and community centre on land beside St Patrick's Catholic Church.

Locals were immediately at loggerheads as to what they thought. There were arguments, eight years of them. Legal stoushes. Many people were concerned about the town's heritage value being compromised with a modern design incorporated into it.

Supporters lodged an Environment Court appeal. A High Court Appeal was a possibility.

Arrowtown was a town divided.

Residents made 362 submissions to the Queenstown Lakes District Council: 214 were in support of the design, one indicated qualified support and 147 were opposed.

Those against the idea were determined the olive leaf design would not go ahead.

The NoLeaf society received support from community organisations such as the Arrowtown Village Association, the Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association, the Queenstown Historical Society and Lakes District Museum.

After a Planning Commissioner turned down resource consent for the building in 2020, the Trust turned to the Environment Court for the matter to be reconsidered.

The end of the road

Last month, the Environment Court upheld the Planning Commissioner's ruling and denied resource consent for the proposal.

The Trust was given 15 days to appeal the Court's decision. It chose not to do this.

The parish now has an opportunity for a "genuine consultative process" about how to redevelop the existing building beside the church, Rowley says.

Source

• ODT
• ODT
• Facebook

After a public hearing, Queenstown Lakes District Council commissioners found the "Olive Leaf" building, which would double as a community centre, was a remarkable design and made some positive contributions to heritage character in the town.

It would also have positive effects for the church's congregation and the community, the commissioners found.

However, these positive aspects would not outweigh its adverse effects, they said.

These included concerns about the proposed building's scale, form and layout, which would detract from Arrowtown's heritage character and streetscape and the adjacent historic St Patrick's Church and its setting.

The "simple, aesthetic, open landmark qualities" of the site the church would share with and the olive leaf-shaped building would be significantly modified.

The cumulative effects would be more than minor, the commissioners decided.

The proposed building was also contrary to key objectives and policies of the Queenstown Lakes District Council's operative and proposed district plans, the commissioners said.

It would breach standards relating to building bulk and location, noise, earthworks, transport, car parking and landscaping.

The Gaudi-inspired design with its floating, leaf-shaped roof has divided opinion within and outside Arrowtown for the past two years.

The Catholic Diocese of Dunedin, which owns the land, liked design. Their view was echoed by over 200 people who said the new building would benefit the community be providing more public space.

However, over 150 submissions opposed the design. Many people said they were concerned it was too modern and out of character with the church site and its heritage surrounds.

After the news of the commissioner's decision was released, one of the groups against the design said its members were relieved by what they hoped would be the conclusion to a "particularly long process".

"The Arrowtown community has spoken and the commissioners have heard their concerns about the ongoing protection of the historic management zone," a statement from the group said.

Source

• Stuff
• Otago Daily Times
• Image: Stuff