A massive residential housing development planned for Queenstown’s Ladies Mile has been referred to an expert consenting panel for fast-tracked resource consent.
Flint’s Park, proposed by Glenpanel Development Ltd, envisages developing either 384 residential units, or, if a proposed primary school is constructed, 179 residential units on 15.6ha on the northern side of Ladies Mile.
Also proposed is a neighbourhood commercial centre, an early childhood centre, public open space and infrastructure, including roads, parking and Three Waters services.
Glenpanel Homestead, a heritage building, would be retained and added to for commercial use.
The development was one of three fast-track projects announced by Acting Prime Minister Grant Robertson yesterday.
He said a wind farm near Palmerston North and Auckland housing development had also been approved under the Government's provisions to fast-track projects through the Resource Management Act process.
That brings to 50 the schemes approved for fast-tracking since it began in mid-2020 as part of the Covid-19 economic response to provide jobs, and move on housing and sustainability projects.
So far, 11 projects have been consented in the programme, which Mr Robertson said on average was 15 months faster than the usual consenting process.
Directors of Glenpanel Development Ltd are Lindsey Topp and Mark Tylden, both of Queenstown. They could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Reasons for the decision to fast-track the project included that it would have positive effects on social wellbeing by providing additional housing in an area that has a housing shortage, and generate employment by providing about 181 full-time equivalent jobs per year over the five-year construction period.
However, Mr Boult said accepting the application did not mean the proposal would be approved.
"We’ve made it clear in the past that we oppose individual developments that aren’t compatible with the [Ladies Mile] master plan, and while this is going through the consenting process, we are confident that the Government is well aware of the need to ensure that any development is compatible to the master plan, in particular that no development should take place until there is a solution to traffic congestion."
The council had been working on a cohesive master plan for Ladies Mile for several years.
Adopted last October, the plan envisaged a total of 2400 high or medium-density homes, a commercial centre and possibly two new schools.
However, development was only to be permitted as transport infrastructure was built to alleviate pressure on the highway.
At that time, council policy planner Liz Simpson said that the master
plan would support reduced vehicle ownership or use, but addressing the area’s congestion would require
intervention by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the Otago Regional Council.
Apart from a westbound bus lane and a roundabout at the intersection with Howards Dr, both due for completion in 2024, no other transport measures had funding in place.
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I trust Mr Boult now knows what it is like when a local community are very much against a development and the community agreement with QLDC also stated no development outside the town boundary however this was all ignored and SHA was approved in Lake Hawea. SHA application supported by QLDC, 100% going against the signed community agreement and the community wishes. It is not a good feeling is it Mr Boult? I trust Oct elections will bring much needed change at QLDC.