A ban on new liquor stores could soon be in place in Dunedin’s student quarter.
The Dunedin City Council is due to update its local alcohol policy, and its draft replacement contains several proposed changes from the present policy.
Council papers said these changes, "based on feedback from stakeholders", were to "improve alcohol outcomes by amending on and off-licence maximum hours, place a moratorium on new off-licence premises in an area north of the Octagon and include some discretionary conditions able to be used by the district licensing committee".
There is a particular focus on an area largely populated by University of Otago students, one policy proposing no new off-licence premises "in an area between the Octagon and Gardens shopping centre".
"There have been no new licensed premises in the proposed area for over 10 years.
"However, the inclusion of this element would stop any new off-licence premises being established in the vulnerable student area," the papers said.
The changes would "limit supply of alcohol in the area occupied by predominantly 18-24 year olds".
The papers also noted the city faced challenges that were "a function of nationwide issues — New Zealand’s drinking culture, and a historically loose regulatory regime".
It also proposed restrictions on off-licence premises such as "no promotion or advertising of alcohol on exterior of premises" because "research indicates there is a relationship between young people’s exposure to alcohol advertising and earlier uptake of drinking and heavy drinking among adolescents who already drink".
There could also be changes to off-licence hours to 7am to 9pm, compared with the present settings of 7am to 10pm, "to reduce the late, impulse purchase of alcohol".
It is proposed the draft policies go out for consultation after they have been reviewed for legal compliance.
Submissions received will be considered by a hearings subcommittee.
A spokeswoman for the University of Otago said the university had not yet had an opportunity to thoroughly review the draft plan or assess its potential impacts.
