Cabins at the Arrowtown Camping Ground next to Jack Reid Park will have to be removed by October 2013 at the latest, while their Frankton counterparts were handed a reprieve until 2018.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council finance and corporate committee yesterday gave 17 Arrowtown cabin owners the option to remove their cabins from the site when their licences expire on September 30; to sell them to the council; or to enter into a new two-year agreement without the option of the council buying the cabins.
Meanwhile, the sub-licence for 26 private cabins and 22 permanent caravans at the Frankton Camping Grounds, which was due to expire in 2013, has been extended until 2018, when the lease held by managers Tracey and Graeme O'Rourke ends.
Both campsites are on land owned by the council and under its 2006 camp ground strategy are not intended for "permanent or semi-permanent accommodation use", so all such structures have to be removed when their leases end.
Speaking in the meeting's public forum, Arrowtown owner Steve Geary, of Winton, wanted to see the leases extended, saying the cabin had been part of his children's, and now his grandchildren's, holidays for a long time.
"I would think from council's point of view at least they could get a little bit of income in the meantime. I would like to see the Kiwiana carry on; it's a great crib for the kids and that's the bottom line."
Council property manager Jo Conroy said it made sense to delay the deadline until both sites could be otherwise used, and particularly in the Frankton site's case.
"Same as in Arrowtown it will take away a pool of affordable housing and take away income on land that council cannot otherwise use."
Arrowtown cabin owners were given notice about the plans in November 2009, and since then two owners have sold their cabins for relocation, with another to be removed later this month. Each cabin owner to enter into a two-year agreement would pay rent of $2500 a year, and any cabins bought by the council would be let for residential use until 2013.
