Bra-covered fence owner won't back down

The owner of a bra-covered fence in Central Otago's Cardrona Valley has said he has no plans to take it down following claims it needs a resource consent.

The bra fence started in 1999 when four bras appeared on the fence between Christmas and New Year. The fence now has more than 800 bras, some with names, addresses and phone numbers attached.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council sought a legal opinion after a Cardrona Valley resident complained about the fence.

The council was advised that the fence required a resource consent.

John Lee, who owns the fence, said tourists from all over the world stopped in the Cardrona Valley to photograph the fence and it regularly featured in overseas media.

"It's given us our identity," he said.

He said most of the community supported the fence and he would not take it down unless they objected. He was taking legal advice on the issue of resource consent.

National Party local government spokesman John Carter said the suggestion a resource consent was needed was "PC rubbish".

He said yesterday that the incident highlighted the need to reform the Resource Management Act.

"My advice to the council is to ignore the advice and the objectors and see if anyone is stupid enough to take it to the Environment Court," he said.

"It's these quirky little things that make us New Zealanders."

Council chief executive Duncan Field said the situation was unfortunate, calling it "an unintended consequence of the way the District Plan was drafted", but said the council was obliged to resolve the issue between the complainant and the fence owner.

"Both parties have rights here," he said.