A seventh special housing area proposal for Queenstown is going to the Government.
At today's full Queenstown Lakes District Council meeting in the town, the council will be asked to recommend to the Minister of Building and Housing that the land relating to the Queenstown Country Club's expression of interest for a retirement village be established as an SHA.
The proposal, submitted to the council in April, comprises two tracts of land - the northern site on the Frankton-Ladies Mile Highway and the southern tract located beside Jones Ave, connecting Lake Hayes Estate and Shotover Country.
It covers a total land area of about 52ha and proposes the construction of 227 independent villas; 72 serviced apartments; a 72-bed care facility offering rest-home, hospital and dementia care; and a commercial node including a doctor, dentist, pharmacy and child care.
Further, developer Fraser Sanderson, of Tauranga, also plans to establish a clubhouse, offering a cafe, theatre, gymnasium, health spa, bowling green and croquet lawn, about seven blocks of staff rental accommodation and a residential subdivision of from about 0.3ha to 1ha.
Mr Sanderson has also entered into discussions with the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust.
In her report to the council, senior planner Anita Vanstone said 20% of the total number of residential units would be priced at "10-15% below the average Queenstown house price''.
"The developer has advised that the higher income residents are generally in search of more expensive/higher spec homes with views, which leaves the more affordable accommodation options open to other residents.''
Mr Sanderson had also made a commitment that "at least 50%'' of the residents would be people who have resided in the Queenstown Lakes district.
Ms Vanstone said Queenstown Country Club's SHA proposal had followed a "slightly different process'' to others, largely due to the "imminent expiry'' of two sections of the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act (HASHAA) and the timeframe required by the minister to accept the SHA.
"If the SHA is established, the developer will have to lodge its resource consent application prior to September 16, 2016, if the council is to have jurisdiction to process it under the HASHAA.
"As a result, matters that have usually been processed after the council has indicated an in principle acceptance of the EOI have been frontloaded: council have negotiated the draft deed, various agencies have been consulted and the application has been placed on the council website for community feedback/comments.
"The applicant is aware that this does not mean that their proposal has been approved by council,'' Ms Vanstone said.
