Hearings on an application to subdivide New Chum Beach/Wainuiototo Bay have now been suspended for up to two months.

The Thames-Coromandel District Council was notified by the applicant's lawyers of a last-minute disagreement between the site's co-owners and requested the application be suspended last Friday.

New Chum Beach/Wainuiatoto. Photo: Marc Hall

Public hearings were to begin on Monday and run for a week.

A total of 187 submissions had been received, with more than 80 submitters requesting to be heard by a panel of three independent RMA commissioners.

The application, made by Ross and Deidre Mear is for a four-lot subdivision, each 15 hectares in size, along with a 15 metre wide esplanade strip allowing for public access along the beach.

The Mears own a 50 per cent share in the property, with another separate family trust owning the other half.

TCDC chief executive David Hammond says council staff spent the weekend letting all the submitters know about the last-minute request.

'We know that some people were travelling great distances to speak in person and acknowledge the inconvenience and frustration in delays.”

Monday morning saw the independent commissioners meet with the applicant's lawyer Mr Ian Cowper, council staff and several submitters who turned up to be heard.

Ian Cowper told the commissioners the current dispute between the two title holders had no bearing on any other separate applications at New Chum.

Following discussions with all parties, the commissioners agreed to suspend the hearing and give the applicants up to two months to resolve the situation.

'This also allows for time to submit an amended application,” adds David. 'Depending on the extent of the changes to the original application council would also need to consider the possibility of re-notifying the application.

'In the meantime our council will be passing on all related costs for the hearings so far, to the applicants.”

Through their lawyer, the Mears also apologise to everyone who has been inconvenienced by the delay, especially the submitters and the commissioners.