Construction of Wanaka's new police station is a step closer after the Queenstown Lakes District Council this week approved redesignation of reserve land on Ballantyne Rd for "police purposes".
Larger premises are needed for Wanaka's police contingent, which has outgrown its Helwick St station.
A hearing was held last month to consider a notice of requirement from the New Zealand Police, seeking to change the recreation reserve designation of the 2130sq m site on Ballantyne Rd next to the Department of Conservation (Doc) building.
In recommending the notice of requirement be confirmed, commissioners Sally Middleton and David Clarke said the existing police station was no longer suitable for the "level or style of policing required in Wanaka, both presently and in the future".
The proposed site was in a good, central location that had already been identified as part of a "civic precinct". The Wanaka Volunteer Fire Brigade also hopes to relocate to Ballantyne Rd.
Because of Wanaka's proximity to Mt Aspiring National Park, which generated significant search and rescue demands, the co-existence of the police station and Doc headquarters "makes logical sense", the commissioners said.
Conditions attached to the designation would ensure the proposal had no adverse effects on the immediate environment. They included a maximum building footprint coverage of 40%, a maximum building height of 7.3m, and a minimum 2m setback distance of any building from road boundaries.
The Wanaka police sub-area commander, Senior Sergeant Allan Grindell - on secondment in Dunedin until next month relieving as the area tactical response manager - has been involved with the station proposal process from the outset. He said the council's decision to confirm the notice of requirement was "brilliant news" for police and the community.
"I think that since Wanaka's grown up and staff numbers have increased, we've sort of struggled in our existing building and it's just been a wee bit dysfunctional. The guys are working in different areas and different parts ... [the new station] will help us work as a team."
The proposed station's project manager, Stuart Anderson, of Signal Management Group, said the QLDC recommendation would now be referred back to the Minister of Police to confirm the notice of requirement before it could be publicly notified by the council. An appeal period of 15 working days would follow.
