In 2022 the council had actually applied for, and, that November, given itself permission, to construct a 43-space park at 47-49 Stanley St — the site of the former Queenstown Arts Centre building — for an 18-month period.
That consent expired this May.
According to a new land use resource consent application, it had been anticipated within that 18-month period "a more expansive temporary carpark encompassing an additional stage would be consented and utilised until redevelopment commenced".
"However, the submission of the full carpark consent application has taken longer than originally anticipated as the council has been considering various options for the carpark site, including optioneering as to whether the existing buildings are demolished or relocated.
"Based on the complexities of demolition associated with contamination and timeframes, QLDC has considered that relocation is the preferred option in this case.
"Further, the Manawa project is in the community consultation phase — consulting on proposed land exchange and governance structure to enable the next steps for the project."
Following approval by council’s infrastructure committee last week, the new application seeks to develop and operate a 97-space park, also incorporating 53-61 Stanley St, which included the land formerly home to the playcentre as well, for three years.
The application says Project Manawa, a cultural and civic centre, will take about 10 years to fully realise — it’s anticipated 61 Stanley St, where the playcentre was, will eventually be home to the ‘Queenstown Arts Centre’, but while the wider project’s under way, the temporary carpark "will serve as an interim solution to carparking constraints in Queenstown CBD".
The longer timeframe will provide continued parking solutions while "design work is undertaken and the broader Manawa project progresses", the application says.
"This temporary solution is proposed to provide for the existing demand during the peak summer season, providing access to local businesses in the CBD."
According to the application, construction of the park should take between two and three weeks — three trees are proposed for removal, they’re either of "low value" or in poor health.
Meantime, a council spokesman says they’ll be able to comment on the future of the former Ballarat St lower carpark, which had capacity for about 120 vehicles, next year.
It closed in August, 2021, and has been used ever since as a construction laydown area for the Alliance, associated with construction of the first stage of the arterial bypass.
While the road is due to open on January 28, the spokesman says the Alliance still needs time to complete the lower Ballarat St stormwater works — which started on Monday — and side roads, and for "a period of snagging", which is common practice in construction projects.
"Hence, we’ll be in a better position to provide more detail about the [lower Ballarat St] carpark ... nearer the time."
