Downtown Wanaka property owners now have a blueprint to follow should they wish to develop their sites in the future.
The Wanaka Town Centre Strategy was formally adopted by the Queenstown Lakes District Council on October 27, after receiving the tick of approval from the Wanaka Community Board in September and then the council's strategy committee.
But the strategy addresses not only the height of new buildings, and ways to protect shops from floods should Lake Wanaka inundate the town, as it did 10 years ago, it also governs future council projects to improve traffic, parking and amenities.
Queenstown Lakes District Council senior policy analyst Sue Mavor said in a media release yesterday the strategy was based on community planning feedback first received in 2002, as well as further consultation undertaken after a working party was formed last year.
Implementing all the recommendations would require a staged approach over 20 years.
Some projects already prioritised and funded in the council's 10-year plan are:
• Improvements to Ardmore and Brownston Sts, including a new masterplan for the lakefront and better pedestrian amenities.
• A northeast traffic route through the Lismore, Hedditch and Ballantyne Sts intersection to ease congestion.
• A district plan change to address cycle and vehicle parking.
• A town centre travel plan.
• A district plan change addressing urban design issues, including redefining height rules and analysing flood provisions.
Each of the above projects will require public consultation.
There is no total budget quantifying the value of all of the works that might result from the strategy because its purpose is to provide guidance.
The strategy is available on the council's website.
