The area was recently rezoned "local shopping centre", following a Queenstown Lakes District plan review and community consultation.
The district plan does not specify any parking requirements for the new zone.
At present, there is just one shop, the Hawea Store and Kitchen, operated by Hamish and Erica Mackay, and parking is on road reserve outside the store.
Last month, developer Matt Laming received resource consent for a three-building commercial precinct, including the right to develop a supermarket, visitor accommodation, retail spaces and a cinema.
A third grocery store, about the size of a large house, has also been proposed by long-time Lake Hawea property owners Ray and Karen Macleod.
That consent is still being processed by the Queenstown Lakes District Council.
Hawea Community Association interim chairwoman Cherilyn Walthew said the association had no position about the competing supermarket developments, but would consider effects on parking.
It also did not have a position on how many stores should be on the corner. Those discussions were for the Mackays and the developers, Mrs Walthew said.
As far she was aware, feedback had mostly been positive thus far, and any concerns were being talked though with developers.
The Hawea Store and Kitchen has been the hub of the fast-growing community for many years.
The Mackays took over the business in 2017 and have been operating it as an On the Spot shop (a Foodstuffs brand).
Mr Laming said site development would begin this year.
His consent was conditional on providing a mobility and drop-off park in a service lane, relocating loading space, undertaking road and footpath works, and providing 12 car parks for the visitor accommodation part of the proposal.
The Mackays have declined to comment, other than to confirm they are talking to Mr Laming.
The Macleods are spearheading a future Super Value store (a Woolworths brand) on the other side of the Mackays’ business, accessed from both Parry Cres and Bodkin St.
Mrs Walthew said the association learned in December Mr Laming had got non-notified consent, but knew he had consulted the community in 2019.
It became aware of the Macleods’ non-notified application at a public meeting in November and was keen to work with them, she said.
Mr Macleod said he was excited about his 450sq m development, which would appear similar to a two-storey house, and he believed would be robust enough to meet the town’s future needs.
He would provide about 23 car parks.
The scale and size would not conflict with the residential nature of the surrounding neighbourhood and Woolworths planners had been involved in the design, Mr Macleod said.
Woolworths Ltd’s operations manager David Callaghan said pending consent approval, the SuperValue supermarket was expected to open late this year.
