A resource consent application’s been lodged this week for a 96-section residential subdivision immediately above the existing steep, high-end Queenstown Hill subdivision.
The lots, ranging from 306 to 1021 square metres, are on the last 10.1336-hectare block of the original Commonage land that was vested in the council by the government in 1971.
Council, via real estate agency Colliers, sold the block early this year for $33 million to locals Adam Copland and Kirk Pullar, who last week registered their development company, Commonage Queenstown GP Ltd.
It was the council’s third attempt at selling the land — it was put on the market in 2017 and 2021, but on both occasions was unsuccessful. Copland says the proposed subdivision’s wholly compliant with the site’s medium density residential zoning, which is also how the rest of Queenstown Hill is zoned.
According to the paperwork, the proposed density’s in fact less than what’s enabled by the zoning.
‘‘The subdivision will provide a high-quality outcome for the site that is befitting of its location on Queenstown Hill,’’ the application states.
Copland says there’ll be a mix of stand-alone houses, townhouses and villas.
He accepts the steep site, currently largely covered in mature pine trees, dense scrub and grass, will present ‘‘some practical challenges’’ to develop.
Site works, he says, are likely to start in October next year, and take 18 months — including two summer seasons — to complete.
‘‘We’d like to get going earlier, but we just know it will take time to consent, time to get engineering approval.’’
Meanwhile, he expects the first lots to come to market just prior to Christmas this year.
At this stage no pricing’s been set.
‘‘We’re working through sales methods at the moment with various agents.’’
A name for the subdivision has still to be decided, too, he adds.
Copland notes there’ll be pedestrian access to surrounding reserve land at three points.
Council’s currently consulting on a draft forestry management plan for the Queenstown Hill reserve, under which wilding conifers would be replaced by native and exotic trees and shrub and tussock grassland — submissions close this Sunday.
