Residents have until April 15 to have their say on a proposed plan change that could see the lakeside community of Kingston triple in size during the next 30 years.
Queenstown Lakes District Council staff want to rezone land bounded by the town's golf course and the Kingston Railway to allow 700 new dwellings and a new employment area, incorporating light industry, in the town.
The proposal was part of a public-private partnership with development company Kingston Village Ltd.
As part of the joint development, the council would be responsible for constructing water and wastewater pipes and reservoirs and roading to meet the demands of growth during the next 20 years, QLDC senior policy analyst Ralph Henderson said.
The plan change was the subject of an open day at the Kingston Golf Course on Sunday, which attracted about 50 people. Most residents and holiday home-owners seemed ‘‘reasonably positive'' about the planned development, Mr Henderson said.
‘‘I think the township seems very keen to get infrastructure in place.
‘‘A lot of the locals are keen to see future development and growth occur if the character of Kingston can be retained,'' he said.
The exact cost of the council's contribution would depend on the scale of infrastructure development undertaken, such as what size water reservoir to build, which was yet to be determined, he said.
The plan change was the subject of a discussion document available on the council's website.
Comments would be accepted until April 15, and it was hoped the plan change could be notified later this year, he said.
