Frankton plan welcomed

A view of Frankton’s southern end taken from Kelvin Heights last week, showing high rise hotel buildings near Queenstown Airport. Photo: Craig Baxter
A view of Frankton’s southern end taken from Kelvin Heights, showing high rise hotel buildings near Queenstown Airport. Photo: Craig Baxter
A Frankton community leader has welcomed a draft master plan signalling 30 years of massive change.

Frankton Community Association chairman Glyn Lewers said planning needed to be in place to manage the Queenstown suburb's ongoing huge growth.

He could see some bones of contention in the $840,000 study published yesterday, but thought it was likely to be well received by the community.

The plan lists 10 main goals and features a map with 20 key features.

Its goals include major upgrades to the road and trail network, including a new link from Queenstown Airport to Lake Wakatipu, with an overpass, and changing State Highway 6 into a "high amenity 50kmh urban arterial".

Other highlights in the five-page summary include a new transport interchange, improved public transport and a new emergency precinct taking over Frankton Golf Course, with a new golf course on Shotover Delta.

"The main concern would be shoehorning more activities around the BP roundabout," Mr Lewers said.

"But it's good to see new overpasses and an orbital bus system; that's a good idea."

Mr Lewers said the change to State Highway 6 could cause friction among commuters.

"It would seem to create another choke-point. You see what's happening with the traffic now on Ladies Mile.

"But in the future will we be using cars? The push of this is get away from that."

The delta itself would be redeveloped into a reserve for informal recreation and residential housing is suggested in the northern Glenda Drive industrial area, along with more urban parks and greener streets in general.

There is also an extension to Queenstown Events Centre on the cards and the council suggests investigating the long-term relocation of Lakes District Hospital outside the airport's noise boundaries.

Mr Lewers said personally he would be sad to see the golf course move, but hoped the new one would open before the current one closes.

Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult, in a statement, said "until now, the area has lacked a cohesive plan to bind the emerging community and activities together".

He said residents had been asked for their views throughout the process, which began in September 2018, but he was excited to see what they made of the master plan, although its aims would not be achieved all at once.

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Comments

Which bright spark came up with the idea of shifting the golf course from it's present nice, green, playable location to a silty floodplain currently used for accessing the river and by families dirt biking? Possibly the same one who thinks that the northern corner of Glenda Drive is good a good location for high density residential living, with a delightful view (never mind the aroma) of the giant jobby mixer.

 

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