Promoter to explain gondola

Press, 13 March 1987, Page 27

Promoter to explain gondola

Special correspondent in Queenstown

The man behind a controversial gondola lakecrossing system planned for Queenstown is taking a novel approach to objectors to the scheme.

Lodging of a planning application with the Queenstown-Lakes District Council has prompted 72 objections to the $4 million scheme, but Mr Phillip Phillips says every objector will have the proposal fully explained before the planning hearing listed for April 26. “We are not trying to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes,” said Mr Phillips. He said many objections to the gondola,

which would go from Queenstown Bay to Kelvin Heights, were based on information received via public discussion and news media reports. However, more information was now available as various studies, surveys, and environmental reports had been completed since the original application was filed with the council, he said. An amended application would be presented to the council, after comments by interested parties and various agencies and a general “rethinking” of the situation, and this application would be supplied to all objectors, he said.

Mr Phillips said his prime motive for this

"rather unique” move was to ensure that the public were fully informed before objections were aired. Moves had been made to reduce any environmental impact the gondolas would have, and an information caravan would be set up in Queenstown before the planning hearing so that all members of the public could view plans and designs and ask questions about the proposal.

The scheme sites one terminal on the Queenstown lakefront beneath the Botanical Gardens, with the cables crossing the gardens and spanning Lake Wakatipu to Kelvin Heights Peninsula, stopping at the golf course

and continuing to a return terminal.

The cable crossing the lake would span 635 metres between the system’s two tallest poles, which would be a maximum of 45 metres high. However, Mr Phillips said the highest pole could be shortened to 35 metres if the steamship Earnslaw which passes beneath the proposed cable kept to lanes within 100 metres of the shore.

This would avoid problems with the cable’s falling within the range of the Earnslaw’s mast.

Mr Phillips said he had made an application about this to the Marine Department.

Bringing the pole back to 35 metres meant it

would not be visible above the line of trees in the gardens. Mr Phillips said the gondola ride would take just over eight minutes one way. There would be no noise pollution, no fumes, and the king tower, on the Queenstown side, would be painted green to blend with surrounding trees, of which only one would have to be pruned.

Objections were mostly regarding appearance, but every attempt would be made to keep the system in line with the environment, said Mr Phillips. “It is just a question of finding the right solutions to minimise impact,” he said.