Some residents of a piece of central Wanaka being eyed up for increased density housing are angered by what they describe as an ''appalling'' lack of council communication on the proposal.
As part of its district plan review, the Queenstown Lakes District Council has proposed rezoning several residential blocks behind Pembroke Park from low density residential to a new medium-density zone.
The council says the intention of the new zone - also proposed for central locations in Queenstown and Arrowtown - is to provide for more diverse, and potentially more affordable, low scale housing options close to town centres, open spaces and amenities.
It would enable significantly higher density by having no density control, greater recession plane angles and higher site coverage - 55% versus 40% in the low density zone.
The likely housing forms under the new zoning would be townhouses, terrace housing and semi-detached (duplex) housing on sections ranging between 180sq m and 300sq m. Building height would continue to be limited to two storeys.
Warren St resident Helen Blair said she and at least two other neighbours had received no notification of the proposed changes and only heard about it from other residents who had received letters from the council.
She had ''missed out'' on the opportunity to provide feedback or attend any discussion groups.
''To say I'm cheesed off is an understatement. ... apart from what they're planning to do, stirring up trouble [with the proposed rezoning], it's the way they've gone about it.''
Mrs Blair's neighbour, Steve Brett, also did not receive a letter and learnt of the rezoning ''by chance''.
He was ''hugely opposed to the philosophy'' of the proposal, which seemed ''a bit under the radar'' on the council's behalf.
Dr Brett questioned whether the council had intentionally notified only some residents and suspected approaches from developers wanting to build apartment blocks were behind the proposed rezoning and its ''horrifying'' provisions.
''If they make this medium-density and everybody chops their section into two or three or four, where's the infrastructure for all that?
''I can't imagine any of the people in this property area being in support of it because most of the people here are long term and have got what they want in an area that they like.''
Loris King - who lives on Brownston St on the edge of the proposed medium density zone - did receive a letter from the council outlining the proposed rezoning, but said the ''rushed nature'' of the process was concerning.
''As was the fact I know two of our community board members who were elected to represent us knew nothing about these proposed changes and the document we received. I presume this applies to all the community board members.''
QLDC communications manager Michele Poole said two drop-in sessions were held in Wanaka and were promoted in public notices, in council publication Scuttlebutt, on the council Facebook page and in a media release.
''Formal consultation will begin when the first part of the plan is released for public consideration later this year,'' Ms Poole said.
