A company headed by part-time Queenstown resident Roy Thompson this week lodged a resource consent application for two six-storey buildings in Gorge Rd, within walking distance of the CBD.
It would comprise 143 rental units, either studio or one-bedroom apartments.
The lack of affordable rental accommodation for low-wage workers, who help keep the resort’s tourism economy healthy, is a major issue.
He had been part of recent discussions among major employers in the resort, the purpose of which was to give developers such as Mr Thompson a point of contact, and provide them information about worker demand for accommodation.
Although most NZSki staff had found accommodation in the resort this winter, affordability remained an issue.
"With rents going up quite significantly, it’s made it very difficult for a lot of our staff to find well-priced accommodation," Mr Anderson said.
Mr Thompson’s company New Ground Capital — one of three entities behind Auckland’s 208-house Hobsonville Point development — has a contract to buy the former Carters building supplies site, subject to resource consent.
The site is within the Gorge Rd special housing area proposed by the council and approved by the Government in June.
Mr Thompson said he hoped the first building would be built by the end of next year, and the second finished by winter 2018.
His company was approaching employers to guarantee leases for their staff for up to 90 units.
"It gives employers security, particularly for recruiting new staff."
He had already received a positive response.
Ideally, employers would take on three-year "head" leases, but there was flexibility for shorter or longer terms.His property management company would also directly rent units to individuals and couples.
Studio units would be up to 35sq m — "a pretty generous-sized hotel room" — and the one-bedroom units would be about 40sq m.
All would have en suites and most would have kitchenettes.
The Gorge Rd apartments would be expensive to develop because ground conditions were "very poor", he said.
There were also major car-parking requirements.
For those reasons, he would have to charge market rentals.However, his company was proposing a fixed utility charge covering Wi-Fi, water and power, "which we think will be much much lower than what most people are paying to heat pretty poorly insulated homes".
The complex has been designed by Auckland firm Tall Wood and AW Architects, of Christchurch.
