One of the last remaining motels in Clyde has been sold to a developer - but a delayed settlement means there will not be any changes made to the accommodation business until at least October.

Clyde Central was formerly owned by FHW Holdings Ltd but the new Dunedin-based developer Nicholas Beach has plans to change the land use to residential, with options for short term visitor accommodation.

The private accommodation sector has been exploding in the last decade, and the short term visitor market is now becoming more popular in some areas than motels and hotels.

Tourism Central Otago was also looking at introducing a targeted rate similar to Queenstown Lakes, proposing a levy for accommodation spend per night of a visitor stay, to capture the commercial and short-term rental accommodation such as AirBnB.

The Central Otago District Council’s (CODC) hearings panel will consider the application to subdivide on January 21 and planning consultant Tim Anderson has recommended it be accepted.

The staged development would eventually involve turning the accommodation business into seven separate unit titles.

Due to the lots being less than 200sqm, the proposal had to be assessed as non-complying under the District Plan (the minimum being 250sqm), but the overall density was considered acceptable.

The subject site was zoned Medium Density under Plan Change 19 and the subject site was partially located within the heritage precinct. 

“Overall, the scale of visitor accommodation use will not be any greater than the scale that currently exists. In considering the established baseline of effects within the receiving environment, it is considered that any adverse effects resulting from visitor accommodation will be acceptable.”

No physical changes to the existing site would occur with the exception of minor works including the installation of separate services and decommissioning the laundry. 

“The site is spacious and the conversion from visitor accommodation to individually owned residential units will not introduce any new effects beyond that already existing. 

“Neighbours invested in the community are likely to present an improvement in terms of noise and vehicle movements to that of motel guests, although it is accepted the short duration visitor accommodation will differ to that of permanent residents or as a holiday house. 

“It is likely new owners will use the units as a holiday home, where occupancy is intermittent which further lessens the effects associated with the residential activity component. Consent is also sought for use as visitor accommodation to augment residential activity,” the application said.

An existing notable Wellingtonian tree at the front of the site against Sunderland Street and within the heritage overlay would also be retained and protected during any construction works associated with the installation of services where required.

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