A proposal to rezone about 120ha of land in Queenstown to eventually accommodate 2400 residential units has passed another hurdle.
However, an independent hearings panel has warned the hard work to date on the Te Pūtahi Ladies Mile variation, and potential housing benefits, could be undermined if the government, Queenstown Lakes District and Otago Regional councils and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi fail to deliver the ‘‘high-quality passenger-centric transport facilities’’ the variation is premised on.
The variation seeks to enable development of medium-density housing on what is largely a greenfields site beside State Highway 6, between the Shotover River and Lake Hayes.
The hearings panel’s draft report and recommendations followed the variation’s notification last April, which proposed to introduce a new ‘‘special purpose zone’’ to the proposed district plan, and amendments to several of its chapters.
Those changes would implement the Ladies Mile master plan, adopted by the district council in June 2022, despite overwhelming opposition from nearby residents.
The variation attracted 125 submissions, raising over 1000 submission points, during hearings last November and December.
Along with housing, the council envisaged the site would contain a town centre, two schools and a sports/community hub.
There were also measures proposed to reduce vehicle use and improvements to transport infrastructure along State Highway 6.
In its draft recommendation for Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, the panel, chaired by Buddle Findley partner David Allen, said its success hinged on ensuring present and future investment in State Highway 6 upgrades, including a reduced speed limit, to 60kmh, and public transport ‘‘delivered promptly’’.
The panel also noted it was important for a new high school to be provided within the Ladies Mile zone.
In its draft recommendation, the panel noted its recommendations were based on ‘‘accepting the severity of the housing issues facing the district, promoting what we regard as the most achievable and practical development framework and requiring the most critical potential adverse effects to be avoided’’.
District council planning and development general manager David Wallace said the draft report acknowledged housing remained one of the biggest challenges in the Queenstown Lakes, and more land was required to accommodate increased density and more affordable housing types.
The panel had recommended changes to the variation’s plan provisions, including requiring a minimum density of 40 units per net hectare, for medium and higher density, and removing parking maximums.
That would require higher-density development than other zones in the district and ensure efficient land use, Mr Wallace said. No standalone housing would be provided.
Additional infrastructure staging had also been added to ensure the development would be integrated with transport infrastructure.
The council and submitters would now be able to identify and correct minor or technical errors or omissions in the draft recommendation before a final recommendation was issued to Ms Simmonds.
The government previously approved an application by the district council to streamline the planning process at Ladies Mile, meaning the proposed variation could progress ‘‘as swiftly as possible’’ while still providing ample opportunity for community consultation, Mr Wallace said.
