Michael Hill's 'invisible' houses get go-ahead

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HILLSIDE HOMES: An artist's impression in 2007 of an underground home on Michael Hill's property near Queenstown.

Jewellery magnate Michael Hill is to get his underground houses.

In a decision released yesterday, independent commissioners granted Hill resource consent to build 17 subterranean dwellings on and around his Arrowtown golf course.

The approval flies in the face of a recommendation by Queenstown Lakes District Council planners that the application be declined.

"We are satisfied that none of the identified possible adverse effects of the proposal has any significance ... there are significant positive effects," commissioners John Matthews and Andrew Henderson said.

Application documents show the houses are to have floor areas ranging from 367 to 700 square metres.

Each dwelling would take one of seven designs, some of which include lap pools, wine cellars, libraries, outdoor fireplaces and/or courtyards.

More than half of the dwellings would be built below a ridge southwest of the golf course. A handful would be nestled between fairways.

Mr Hill last week told The Southland Times he was looking forward to building the "world-beating" homes.

He said the design shied away from the resort-style courses that were popular in the United States.

"The Americans put a big colonial clubhouse at the back of the 18th and fill the fairways with homes.

"For me, that spoils everything. We want it to be like a Scottish course, where you see nothing. These homes will be invisible."

Tight conditions have been imposed by both Mr Hill and the commissioners on the way occupants can use the outdoor space on the properties.

"Very stringent controls are also proposed on the use of each house site, to the extent that apart from placing outdoor furniture on a limited-sized area around each house, virtually nothing else can occur," the commissioners say in their report.

"Use of the house lots for the normal trappings of domesticity such as trampolines, spa pools and so forth, will be prohibited."

A spokesperson for The Hills course said further comment would not be made until the period in which appeals could be lodged had lapsed.

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Mr Smithers   #51   04:06 am Sep 09 2009

Excellent!

Dave   #50   10:42 pm Jul 15 2009

Good news, Ive been looking at underground houses to build for 2 years. biggest problem is the powers that be in this country, once micheal builds a couple things should soften a bit as to , what a great idea, warmer, greener,quieter,more private, you should look at them oversea's, the thermal blanket is the key. Micheal will do it right,show the way.

Jack   #49   08:45 am Jul 11 2009

It'd be a pain having to mow your roof all the time :P

Christopher   #48   03:13 am Jun 27 2009

Followers of this topic may also like to check out a new sustainable house designed to avert flood damage. http://www.puresilica.com/glasspavilions/glasspavilions3.htm

the meister   #47   11:57 pm Jun 25 2009

Michael, Excellent work. It's great to see someone having enough ball to take on the system and give it a new approach. I can see a great future in developing such housing here in queensland as well. I would be very interested to have a look at it once it has been completed or even during construction. I am a builder here in australia and am constantly on the look out for new approaches and new building techiniques. All the best.

Dominic   #46   10:55 am Jun 22 2009

Well, I dont think you need to like it to appreciate that it's projects like this that push the boundaries of thinking and technology and regulatory structures. It takes bold moves to get the established lines of thinking up and mobile on a new idea. The solutions from this project will filter down and become part of main stream domestic design. There's not a huge difference between a Yuppie warren and a Hippie warren.

James   #45   07:41 am Jun 22 2009

In event of an errant golf shot, what is the etiquette for playing through? Is play permissible in hallways? How about a free drop from furnishings? Are there designated rooms declared “OB”? From a carpet shot,what is the player's responsibility to replace a divit? Just curious.

bob   #44   07:48 pm Jun 21 2009

The roof can be the 18th hole!

Jdher   #43   01:44 pm Jun 21 2009

Wahoo another smart environmentally sane idea gets through the bureaucracy!

Chip   #42   12:33 pm Jun 21 2009

I want to know what the objections against this were.

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