Environmentalists argue Peter Thiel’s luxury NZ lodge will ‘destroy’ lake landscape

Billionaire Peter Thiel is facing opposition from New Zealand environmental groups over his plans to build a luxury lodge in Wānaka, an alpine town on the South Island.

A company owned by Thiel had lodged a consent application for a sprawling lodge on his property, which would include a “pod” for the owner himself, water features and meditation space. The consent describes “a series of stand-alone buildings, including a lodge for visitor accommodation for up to 24 guests, accommodation pod for the owner, together with associated lodge management buildings, infrastructure, landscape treatment, water features and meditation space”. The earthworks required to build it would cover over 73,700m² of land.

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Submissions on the consent closed last week – but some local environmental groups and residents are opposing the plans.

Local resident John Sutton said in a submission to council that the lodge would “destroy our beautiful lake environment”.

Longview Environmental Trust argued the location was inappropriate and would be highly visible. “No level of mitigation can satisfactorily reduce the level of adverse effects that will be created,” they said.

The Upper Clutha Environmental Society said the site was “wholly within and surrounded by outstanding natural landscape … landscape of national importance” and submitted opposing the development, saying “The development is likely to cause significant adverse physical changes to the appearance of the natural landscape when viewed from public places in the vicinity”.

In total, the council received seven formal submissions opposing or asking for changes to the plan, and none in support.