The Queenstown Lakes District Council's strategy committee raised questions about flood risk, traffic congestion, urban sprawl and environmental impact of a proposal to build 758 homes beside the Shotover River at a meeting in Queenstown yesterday.
The council's senior policy analyst, Karen Page, presented a report on Shotover Country Private Plan Change 41 to committee members to gauge early feedback and identify areas of concern.
Cr John R.Wilson asked if the area was flood-prone.
Cr Lyal Cocks raised traffic issues.
Cr Cath Gilmour wanted to know how the plan change fitted with council policies on urban growth and urban sprawl and what impact it would have on land, infrastructure and growth boundaries.
Cr Lex Perkins said the proposal was "wrong place, wrong time".
Ms Page said the 120ha of land is prone to 100-year floods, but the landowners had included mitigation measures.
The application said the New Zealand Transport Agency would have to upgrade State Highway 6 to accommodate the increasing traffic, she said.
"A traffic assessment has been undertaken by Traffic Design Group which states that, due to the existing traffic volumes emerging from Lower Shotover Rd and Howards Dr, NZTA will have to establish a new intersection improvement scheme by 2021 regardless of whether the plan change goes ahead or not," she said.
The plan change was lodged with the council last month by a group of 10 landowners, Ladies Mile Partnership.
It proposes to rezone about 120ha of rural general land to a new zone, Shotover country special zone.
The site's wastewater would be connected to the council sewer via a pump station within the development, potable water supply via an additional bore and 1123m reservoir, and on-site collection, treatment and disposal methods for stormwater disposal.
The application included a river and flooding risk assessment, an air-quality assessment, and geotechnical, ecological, archaeological and landscape assessments, Ms Page said.
Once all the information was received, the council would make a decision.
• The QLDC yesterday accepted a private plan change to extend Quail Rise Estate by 51 houses.
The council's strategy committee voted to recommend to the council that Plan Change 37 is accepted for consideration.
Ms Page presented a report to the committee on Northern Frankton Flats Private Plan Change 37.
Quail Rise Estate Ltd's private plan change to rezone 11.8ha providing for 51 new residential units.
Access to the development will be via an extension to Ferry Hill Dr.
Ms Page said all relevant information had been received by the applicant and she recommended the proposal be accepted for public notification.
The proposed plan change could achieve sustainable growth management, effective and efficient infrastructure, a safe and healthy community, high-quality urban environments, enhanced public access to quality landscapes and preservation of the district's cultural heritage, she said.
