The Olive Leaf Centre Trust appealed a decision by independent planning commissioners in 2020 turning down its proposal for a multipurpose parish and community centre on land beside the St Patrick's Catholic Church in Hertford St.

After a week-long hearing in May, Judge Prudence Steven and commissioner Kathryn Edmonds released the decision on Monday.

It said the proposal would likely have significant adverse effects on the "openness and spaciousness" characteristic of the church's heritage values, and on the church's "primacy" on the site. Read more

The controversial design by Central Otago architect Fred Van Brandenburg will be decided by the public in May.

The proposal has split the Central Otago town of Arrowtown, attracting 369 submissions last year. One-hundred-and-fifty opposed the proposed plan.

The developers say their leaf-shaped church building is a "gift" to the Catholic parish and wider community in Arrowtown.

Opponents say the "modern and futuristic design" is inappropriate in proximity to heritage buildings.

According to Queenstown Lakes District Council documents the Olive Leaf Centre Trust last year applied to avoid a council hearing and have the application directly referred to the Environment Court.

After the application was declined, the trust lodged an objection that was heard by a council-appointed commissioner in September.
The objection was withdrawn at the end of the hearing.

The council is now preparing to hear the application in May.

The Olive Leaf centre would be situated beside the heritage-listed St Patrick's Catholic Church.

The design is for the Olive Leaf to be sunk two metres below ground level, so the only part that protrudes is the stone-clad roof.

It is envisaged as both a parish and community centre, with features including a hall, accommodation, and a wall of remembrance.

It has the blessing of the Catholic Diocese of Dunedin, which owns the land.

Source

• Stuff
• Image:Otago Daily Times

By last Friday's deadline, the Queenstown Lakes District Council received 362 submissions on the resource consent application for the Olive Leaf Centre project.

Of those, 214 were in support, one indicated qualified support and 147 were opposed.

Heritage New Zealand's submission said the development would have adverse effects on the heritage values of the church and the nearby Blessed Mary McKillop Cottage.

It would also pose a risk to the "structural integrity and ongoing conservation" of both buildings and have detrimental effects on residential amenities in the township, including visual effects and increased traffic and parking.

Supporting the proposal, Arrowtown resident Ralph Hanan said buildings such as the Sydney Opera House and the glass pyramid in front of the Louvre Museum in Paris had become "treasured" icons despite their inconsistency with the heritage form of their surrounding buildings.

A post on the Arrowtown Olive Leaf Centre Facebook page thanked all those who made submissions.

"Thanks to those who registered support and to those who harbour sincere concern. We hope to demonstrate many of your fears will be proven groundless."

The post notes that the council advised they estimate a three-day hearing will be necessary.

The Council is negotiating with commissioners.

Source

• odt.co.nz
• facebook.com
• Image: supplied

Already the project has created considerable national and international interest and offers of support.

Local parishioner and project architect Mr Fred Van Brandenburg says "Our forefathers built to the best of their ability a church that was contemporary in their time."

The inspiration for the Olive Leaf Centre came from a group of parishioners with a vision to build a place for parish gatherings and for the wider community to enjoy.

Their aim was not simply to build a "church hall" but rather to create a work of exceptional beauty, timeless elegance and functionality.

The Centre will be administered by ‘The Olive Leaf Centre Trust,' an independent charitable body.

The Trust says that work on the project to date has been totally pro bono and it gratefully acknowledges the generosity of spirit it has inspired.

The Trust is optimistic that it will be able to fund the project through grants and donations including those from patrons of the arts.

This will be in a similar vein to the enabling of the completion of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia Cathedral and raising funds for the Hundertwasser Art Centre project in Whangarei.

The Trust has reaffirmed its commitment to delay seeking funding until Resource Consent has been obtained.

The building has been designed to be a low-level structure to minimise its visual impact and to ensure that the church remains paramount on the site.

Sunk into the ground, glimpsed through trees and shrubs, the building is viewed primarily as a series of stone walls reminiscent of the stone structures built by the early settlers.

Even the roof hovering over it will be clad in stone so that the entire structure will be read as one.

This design has it all. Like a Koru revealed by a skilled carver from within the Pounamu - a Taonga of our time.

Click here to read a full explanation of the design

Source

• Supplied