A long-standing proposal to rezone about 120ha of land in Queenstown to eventually accommodate 2400 residential units passed another hurdle this week when a panel released its draft report to enable development of medium-density housing on a largely greenfields site beside State Highway 6, between the Shotover River and Lake Hayes.
The panel recommended a special purpose zone to the proposed district plan which would implement the Ladies Mile master plan.
Along with 2400 houses, 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 SH6.
A new high school was recommended for the area.
But Lake Hayes Estate and Shotover Country Community Association chairwoman Anita Golden said the same issues remained no matter what changes to the plan were approved.
Traffic congestion would only increase with the growth of more residential units.
"Trying to get in and out of the area, along State Highway 6, is an absolute nightmare. The multiple solutions they talk about are not realistic or feasible," she said.
She said there was nowhere to go when people drove from their homes in Lake Hayes Estate or nearby areas and that brought risk-taking. It would only get worse should the new residential units be built.
"There are no alternatives [to going another way]. I think we have had four different vehicle incidents in the past two weeks and that just makes it worse. Everything just grinds to a halt. Getting 7km from your work to home — it is 20, 30 even 40 minutes."
Public transport was an option but it would simply lead to buses getting stuck in the traffic and also adding to the gridlock.
The traffic situation was getting worse, she said.
She said Lake Hayes was home to 5000 people, which equated to a lot of vehicles.
"That is a lot of people and every single one of us have to travel, have to get to work.
"I do not know what the solution is. I would love someone to tell me. They talk about taking away carparks but some of us have to drive."
Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust chief executive Julie Scott said it was pleasing to see the development being progressed.
Any new supply housing in the Wakatipu was a great outcome but if sections will cost upwards of $600,000, as current entry level sections are priced in Queenstown, she doubted they would be affordable for medium and low-income earners looking to purchase.
She said building more community infrastructure on the other side of the Shotover Bridge — where Ladies Mile is — would lessen the need to come to town.
So building a high school was vital to lessen traffic.
She was confident the 2400 unit development would go ahead.
