Sergeant Aaron Nicholson told the Wanaka Community Board yesterday the site's potential for development was among the things he and his staff were thinking about in the face of continued population growth and the development squeeze in the central business district.
Sgt Nicholson, responding to questions by the board, said he hoped for a new police station within four years and it "would be nice to combine with emergency services, search and rescue, civil defence etc".
"I am keen to champion a community services building," he said.
Police southern district business services manager Ricky Collins told the Otago Daily Times when approached yesterday the completed proposal for Wanaka's police station would not be considered by national headquarters until August next year.
However, he agreed that raising issues now was good planning practice, even though the police would not be committing to a site for a long time.
Wanaka Community Board members and councillors yesterday supported Sgt Nicholson's suggestion, including a combined emergency services centre.
The reserve is next to the Wanaka Golf Course and the Department of Conservation and managed by the Queenstown Lakes District Council.
Board chairman and Cr Lyal Cocks said it was the right time to consider the police proposal and "put some stakes in the ground".
Council staff had already been talking to the fire brigade about access and building issues at the Ardmore St fire station, he said.
However, Wanaka Volunteer Fire Brigade chief Steve Trevathan said, when approached by the Otago Daily Times yesterday, he believed the Fire Service national headquarters would not support a combined centre because they had not worked in other areas and the service had other commitments.
Mr Trevathan thought the fire station was big enough for the brigade's present needs and any development proposals were not likely to be considered for several years.
However, there were already problems obtaining car parks around the station and getting the fire appliances in and out of the garage without endangering pedestrian safety.
