Movie mogul James Cameron claims to be planning an idyllic family home on a working farm, but should he decide to bring his work home too, he'll have to get past the South Wairarapa District Council first.
Cameron, the director of blockbuster movies Avatar and Titanic, has spent $20 millionon two farms near Featherston to build an eco-house for himself, his wife and their three children.
According to his application to the Overseas Investment Office for the purchase of 1065ha, the Cameron family will live indefinitely in New Zealand and work the land as a farm.
South Wairarapa mayor Adrienne Staples said rumours were rife that Cameron intended to build a film studio on the site.
But local council planning and environment boss Glenn Bunny said there were no resource or building consent applications lodged by Cameron or his company, Anglin Classics.
"I'd be surprised if that's what he decided to do," Bunny said.
Overseas Investment Office spokesman Brad Young said any move to build a film studio would not change the consent given to Cameron to buy the land as permission was granted based on Cameron's statement that he intended to live indefinitely in New Zealand, rather than what the land was used for.
