After five years of consultation and discussion about expansion plans for Kingston, residents can expect even more consultation before a joint venture plan change takes effect.
The township, home to just over 300 rateable properties, is the subject site for a comprehensive development proposed by Kingston Village Ltd, which would include the development of up to 750 more residential units if it went ahead.
The master plan for that development is still being finalised, as is further consultation set to take place in the town regarding its long-awaited reticulated water and sewage systems.
In 2003, the Kingston 2020 Community Plan was adopted in which the provision of adequate infrastructure - primarily reticulated water and sewage systems - was identified as a key issue.
A plan to expand Kingston began in December 2006, at which time a joint venture plan change was initiated in an agreement between the Queenstown Lakes District Council and the developer - one of the principles of that plan change was to encourage growth in towns like Kingston, to a point where "critical mass for affordable servicing" was reachedand an "appropriate" range oflocal services and employment could be supported.
Queenstown Lakes District Council senior policy analyst Ralph Henderson told the QLDC strategy committee yesterday the growth of a number of smaller townships had created issues, which included older septic systems intended for more limited use becoming stretched and at times failing, "creating potential issues around water contamination".
Mr Henderson said the joint venture plan change was still in the "scoping and investigation stage", although it was expected it would be notified "in the next few months as the remaining issues are resolved".
The council had also engaged GHD consultants to investigate the requirements necessary to provide water and waste water infrastructure to the existing Kingston village in a "parallel process" with the proposed development.
A community planning charette in August last year identified several themes - unsurprisingly, for the community the provision of reticulated services was at the top of the list.
"A key drive behind the plan change is the provision of more cost-effective and timely infrastructure for the whole of Kingston.
"The council has been working closely with the developer to determine likely costs of connecting to sewage and water infrastructure.
"It is intended that consultation on the costs and issues around the provision of this infrastructure to the village will be undertaken in parallel with the plan change, as this will be an important consideration for the local community."
The council was proposing consultation on a "water demand management plan" for Kingston.
Once the draft water demand management strategy had been finalised for consultation, the council would go back to the community for feedback and provide it with an understanding of potential costs involved in providing the services.
"It is currently intended that consultation with the community on servicing will occur prior to, or simultaneously with, consultation on the plan change itself.
"At this point, it is anticipated that this consultation will occur in September/October 2008. Delivery of this phase of the project may be under pressure due to changes in key staff at Lakes Engineering."
