By Olivia Judd of 
Photo: Otago Daily Times / Olivia Judd
A Queenstown property owner says the street outside his house has turned into a "highway" since the now-infamous $130 million arterial road opened.
But Nigel Sadlier, who has owned a Henry Street property for over 40 years, is furious with Queenstown's council over alleged inaction to stop hundreds of pedestrians using his land as a shortcut.
Sadlier, who with his family lives between the Bay of Plenty and Queenstown, says their time here has become less enjoyable since construction of the 'road to nowhere' started outside their pad in 2023.
He and his wife's family trust were opposed to the road, due to the potential impacts it would have on their house - which includes a separate downstairs long-term rental unit - the neighbouring preschool and Plunket centre.
The new road's resulted in Malaghan Street - formerly a popular thoroughfare from Queenstown Hill to the CBD - closing to foot traffic.
And rather than walking down Turner or Weaver Streets, hundreds of pedestrians have instead been using Sadlier's property as a shortcut.
"It was like a highway over New Year."
He says it got so bad their previous downstairs tenants moved out, as they were terrified.
"They ended up having to call the police for their own safety, as people are often drunk and disruptive when they cut through."
Sadlier says he often has to confront people and tell them to stay off the property, which has not helped.
"They swear and yell at me ... or say they've got permission from various owners, and I know they haven't because this is private property all the way down the driveway, and we've never given permission to anybody.
"People leave empty bottles and cans ... I've even caught people urinating in my garden."
When Sadlier approached the council about the issue in the past, he's been told there are signs at the top of Malaghan Street, asking people to not use private property as a thoroughfare.
"When I've been to see what they are talking about, they [the signs] have been lying in the grass, getting mowed over forwho knows how many months," he says.
"The signs aren't sufficient and they can't even maintain the signs even at a minimum level."
Taking matters into his own hands, Sadlier's erected 'private property' and 'keep out' signs around his place, and stumped up to install extra fencing around the outskirts of his section.
But rubbing salt in the wound, for him, is the lack of acknowledgement from council.
"Nobody even bothers to come and acknowledge, you know, the distress that I've had and my family have had and the tenants have had.
"One guy said, 'all of [Queenstown Hill] knows that this is the shortcut way to go, so good luck stopping anyone'."
An Alliance spokesperson says the new Malaghan Street steps - providing more direct access to the CBD - are expected to open in early April.
"In addition to signs and fences, we have made multiple requests to other nearby residents not to use this driveway for access.
"We'll be putting up additional signs this week and, again, ask people to respect other people's private property."
