Community feedback proposed for future of Ladies Mile

Potential options for the development of Queenstown’s Ladies Mile will be discussed by the Queenstown Lakes District Council at its full Council meeting this Friday.

At this point the Council is considering whether to amend its current Lead Policy to incorporate the Ladies Mile Area. If it does this will pave the way for a Special Housing Area (SHA) application later in the year.

The report is seeking Council approval to enable community feedback on the matter.

“Council recognises that this is an area of significance to many locals, often seen as the gateway to Queenstown. As such it will seek public feedback on the proposal and this will be provided to Council before a final decision is made.

This is scheduled to happen at the next Council meeting on 17 August” QLDC Chief Executive Mike Theelen said.

This week’s report to Council has been prepared to enable informed feedback and offers a range of options regarding development options for Ladies Mile, with the recommended option being that the area is added to Category 2 of the Special Housing Area Lead Policy and future SHA development will need to be undertaken in accordance with an indicative masterplan.

Housing is in short supply in the district and under current growth projections there will need to be an additional 9,158 dwellings district-wide by 2028; this rises to 17,462 by 2048.

Mr Theelen said housing affordability and continued high population growth meant Council should consider any viable option that presented itself for development.

“Through the Housing Accord agreed with Central Government, Council has to consider all opportunities that present as potential housing stock.”

“Growth projections show the need to plan for an almost doubling of the number of existing residential units in Queenstown and Wanaka over the next 30 years. A key question arises as to where they will be serviced and Ladies Mile has been raised as a place of interest for future development.”

The proposed location is an extension of SHA applications in the same vicinity (Queenstown Country Club, Bridesdale, Onslow Road and Shotover Country) and the benefit of including it at this stage would enable master planning that could consider matters like housing density community heart facilities, infrastructure (ie water supply) and traffic management.

“Ladies Mile is well placed to accommodate urban development given it is directly adjacent to existing urban development in the form of Lake Hayes Estate, Shotover Country and the Queenstown Country Club. It is also physically close to the major employment area of the Frankton Flats and its industrial zones,” says Mr Theelen.

And the Council believes the development could be done sensitively.

“Any plan to develop Ladies Mile would ensure that dwellings would be set back from the roadside by a minimum of 75 metres, with green space between that and the road ensuring this area retains a high level of amenity.”

Further, the area could be serviced with infrastructure readily due to the proximity of the Council’s wastewater treatment plant and bore field, and the existing reticulated networks in Lake Hayes Estate / Shotover Country.

“By including Ladies Mile in to Category 2 of QLDC’s Special Housing Area Lead Policy, Council has the ability to ensure development proceeds in a responsible manner and can require developers to follow an indicative masterplan. It also allows for development to proceed at a faster rate, if the SHA is approved by the Housing Minister.”

Any housing would be expected to be of a medium to high density and developed in such a way as to optimise open spaces, ensure a community focus and encourage public transport.

The public will be able to leave feedback online via the Council website from Monday 26 June until Wednesday 26 July.

Given the significance of this issue to the community, Council would like to note that the Council meeting to be held on Friday to consider the matter will commence at 8am with Public Forum. This meeting has been scheduled with an early start for some months in order to accommodate Winter Festival commitments.

ENDS

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