Community session
Community Session. Come and share. Listen and be heard
Monday 4 November 2024 at 7pm at the Church Cellar Door and Cafe.
In preparation for tomorrow’s meeting, in chronological order,
On 6 October 2024, the Press reported that 149 applications were on Fast Track, of which the Gibbston Valley Station (GVS) application was one of them.
On 9 Octobert 2024, GVS responded to the press article with a letter to the community. This was sent out via the GCA newsletter on 14 October 2024.
The Friends of Gibbston Character Zone (FOGCZ) was resurrected immediately to find more about GVS application.
On 21 October 2024, the first FOGCZ newsletter went out to the community calling for more support. 5 days into it, 96 supporters. Now, 101 supporters and growing.
Unsuccessful in its attempt to obtain more information on the GVS application, FOGCZ and a few individuals spoke out and made known their concerns.
On 24 October 2024, the voice of the community was heard at the QLDC meeting held in Arrowtown. Championed by Samuel Belk, Rosemary Cross, Brian Boyle and Sean Brennan. The largest group from one community to speak out. On the same day, the Otago Daily Times and Mountain Scene published an article from an interview with FOGCZ.
On 31 October 2024, Crux highlighted our concerns surrounding this Fast Track application.
Over the last few days, FOGCZ tried to get more information on the GVS application.
Ministry Of Environment declined our request.
Our final request to GVS Quote
“I may not have explained in full why the copy of the Fast Application is crucial for the meeting on 6 November. I am sure, GVS in its submission, would have explained not only in quantitative terms why its application should be approved. It would have highlighted its logic or strategic intent behind the numbers eg addressing the infrastructure, the environmental protections including Dark Sky, how the development benefits Gibbston....etc If we can understand those in its pure form ala what is exactly written, then FOGCZ would be able to have constructive discussions with GVS. I believe this is how GVS reasoned that through when it got the approval for GVR as it stands today.” Unquote
GVS will not release the full copy. Quote
“As discussed, we are unable to provide a full copy of the application at this stage given it is yet to be made public and as defined by the MoE the application is “an initial assessment of your proposal to decide if it is eligible for inclusion as a listed project. Should your project be included on the list you are able to provide more fulsome application documents when you apply to an expert panel.” Therefore, we have provided the FOGCZ an overview document showing the proposed intent of Gibbston Village.” Unquote
The outcome was that a hardcopy of the condensed version was collected from GVS sales office on 1 November 2024, digitised and shared with the FOGCZ supporters on 2 November 2024, on a request basis as the file size was large.Yesterday afternoon, 2 November 2024, GVS sent an email to FOGCZ. The full text. Quote
After some consideration we have decided to send the overview document showing the proposed intent of Gibbston Village that I gave you in a hard copy on Friday in an emailable version. Please find this attached and a further update below.
We refer to the attached letter provided on 9 October 2024 to the GCA, setting out more details on the Gibbston Village application and progress to date. It is unfortunate to read of media statements and comments made to Council which do not align with this information already provided.
The Fast Track application process to date has required high level plans for a project to be listed in the Bill. Further detail will be required before a consent application is lodged with the EPA. GVS will be working with the community and interested stakeholders as that stage progresses.
We are working with the Council around lighting controls and liaising with Prof B. Boyle to mitigate impact to the Kawarau Gibbston Dark Sky Park. We further note that the application to date has included matters as to dark sky controls:
1. With a landholding of over 150 hectares within the Dark Sky Park, GVS is fully supportive of this recent certification and aware of their obligations to protect the dark sky and ensure future development mitigates light pollution.
2. GVS through its recent rezoning of the Special Zone supported provisions in the District Plan which ensure:
2a. The location and direction of lights do not cause glare to other properties, roads, public spaces or [unnecessarily] degrade views of the night sky.
3. Although the Dark Sky Park is not an RMA policy or planning instrument, in their Fast Track application to the Advisory Panel, GVS included details of the volunteered conditions of consent to ensure consistency with, and protection of the Dark Sky certification. These include controls in relation to direction of lighting and glare, restrictions on skylights, window coverings, signage , outdoor lighting, and street lighting.
The Village development will have its own infrastructure system paid by the Gibbston Valley Station. There will be no cost to the QLDC rate payers for the installation and maintenance. The resort wastewater and water scheme are already consented, and the first stages have been completed. According to our current engineering report there is no issue with power supply for the proposed Village and it will not impact power within the region. We are also in process of installing a new cell tower that will greatly improve mobile connectivity across The Village and Gibbston region.” Unquote
The download the Gibbston Village Masterplan Fast Track Project Application.
Tomorrow, there is the community session. If you are not able to attend, and would like to your voice be heard (and if requested, your name will not be mentioned) please email fogczgroup@gmail.com.
Please come. To listen. To be heard.
On 6 November 2024, Q, Jane and Robert will meet Greg Hunt, CEO of GVS.
