[Missing Credit][object Object] A second massive fast-track subdivision on Cromwell’s doorstep has sparked fears of excessive delays and long cues on a nearby highway. It is estimated construction of Rippon Holdings Ltd’s proposed 755-lot residential subdivision near Cromwell could generate more than $300 million in GDP if approved. The fast-track referral application for the project, dubbed the Shannon Farm Residential and Commercial Extension, was accepted by Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop late last month. The project proposed a “master-planned development” across about 70ha on the north-western edge of Cromwell. It would include about 755 residential lots, enable 5ha of light industrial and 3ha of retail and mixed-use commercial land, and an interconnected network of landscaped parks and green corridors. While it did not oppose the referral, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said the proposal would likely have “significant impacts” on the operation of State Highway 6 near Cromwell, due to the traffic generated by the proposal and the configuration of the intersection proposed. The level of congestion on SH6 in the evening peak would be “unacceptable” and reflect “excessive delays and long queue lengths that significantly disrupt the corridor’s function as a key connection between Cromwell and Queenstown”, NZTA said. “It indicates demand exceeds capacity, resulting in unreliable travel times and reduced network efficiency.” It is not the first large subdivision near Cromwell to be referred to the fast-track approvals process. Fulton Hogan Land Development Ltd’s Parkburn project was referred in February and proposed rehabilitating the Parkburn Quarry to create about 1000 residential units, a local commercial centre, a potential primary school and several reserves. Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley said the fast-track applications were not a surprise to the Central Otago District Council. “Cromwell and the surrounding areas are an incredibly popular place to be for both locals and people looking to move to our district, and this is one of the things that has been on the radar of council for quite some time now. “We knew that fast-track applications were going to be coming our way.” [Missing Credit]Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley. Photo: Julie Asher A lot of people in Cromwell were happy to accept growth when it aligned with the reasons they moved there. “We know that those will not be the only fast-track applications for large-scale residential subdivisions coming to us in the foreseeable future.” Asked if the council was broadly supportive of both proposals or if she had any major concerns, Mrs Alley declined to comment. “My concern is that we want to make sure that our infrastructure can keep up with the demand and we don’t want to be in a position where we’re not meeting our obligations.” In its comments on the application, the Central Otago District Council said its primary concerns centred on the sufficiency of the current roading infrastructure, the scope of traffic modelling and integration of the development into the wider Cromwell transport network. The Otago Regional Council saw no reason to decline the application, but recognised the project could generate “considerable demand on the transport network of Cromwell and surrounds”. Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka said the proposal was expected to deliver positive economic and social benefits, including increased housing capacity and supporting business land. “The scale of the proposal would provide a significant increase in housing supply alongside commercial land, which would support local employment and help meet projected growth in the district.” An independent economic assessment estimated there would be an eight-year development period costing about $614m. Construction and development could generate up to $365m in GDP, $216m in wages and salaries, and support about 316 fulltime workers for each of the eight years. Once fully established, the proposed retail and industrial components could create $37m in GDP and $23m in wages and salaries on an ongoing annual basis, the assessment said. tim.scott@odt.co.nz
