Deputy mayor: potential legal appeal after shock Sticky Forest decision

Deputy Mayor Quentin Smith has expressed shock at the decision by the Environment Court to approve widespread residential development of the sensitive Sticky Forest area.

A decision made by Environment Court Judges J J M Hassan and S Tepania and Environment Commissioner J T Baines allows precedent-setting development potential for the area.

Mr Smith was reluctant to say too much before QLDC lawyers have had a chance to advise on potential appeal options.

"What I would say is that I think the decision is incredibly significant, not just for our district, but for the entire country. And we are considering the implications of that."

"I'm requested further advice regarding those matters and intending to review the decision in more detail, which I'm actually currently doing. I can certainly acknowledge the significance of it to the Wānaka community."

Sticky Forest is approximately 50 hectares of exotic pine forest plantation to the north of Wānaka, crisscrossed by more than 30 kilometres of trails built and maintained by the local mountain biking community.

It was given to the descendants of the 53 owners of a block of land known as The Neck, which separates Lakes Hāwea and Wanaka, as substitute land for settlement redress.

A bike counter on just one of the Sticky Forest tracks has counted more than 354,000 bike movements since Bike Wānaka started collecting data in May 2016.

Approximately 200 bike movements have been recorded on average each day for the first six months of this year.

However, the descendants of the original owners have no obligation to allow public recreational use of the site.