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October, 2017 A controversial proposal allowing more than 2000 homes to be built atthe entrance way to Queenstown has been approved by the Queenstown Lakes District Council. In a 5-4 vote, the council added the Ladies Mile area to its lead policy on Special Housing Areas (SHA). The council also agreed to increase the level of land contribution from new SHA developers to the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust to 10 per cent, from 5 per cent. Mayor Jim Boult said the decision to allow intensive development along the traditionally rural Ladies Mile area was difficult, but he supported the proposal. "The further development of Ladies Mile has troubled me but I'm also conscious of the need to have more development land in the district," he said. "Landowners do have the ability to seek their own consent or Plan Change and proceed with development which may not deliver the value to the community that the SHA does." The council believes almost 15,000 new homes will be needed in the district in the next 30 years and the housing trust already has a waiting list of 480 households. The SHA process allows landowners to fast track their developments and build to a higher density. Not all councillors agreed. Val Miller, Tony Hill, Craig (Ferg) Ferguson and Scott Stevens voted against the proposal. Cr Alexa Forbes said the proposal would allow the type of housing density that would justify increased public transport in the area. The councillors also voted to approve the re-inclusion of land owned by arborist David Finlin, which had been excluded to maintain some of the rural aspect of the area. The total potential yield of residential units from the area would be 2185 with a "policy pause" to be taken when the number of resource consents lodged reaches 1100. The council also approved wide-ranging proposals by the Mayoral Housing Affordability Taskforce Work Group including that the council consider developing a new Secure Home Programme. It would split the land and house value, with the land being owned by the housing trust and rented to the home owner. Boult joked the idea should have been patented. "I have had lots of other mayors writing to me saying 'can we rip off your idea?'," he said. The taskforce has an initial target of 1000 community affordable homes with secure tenure by 2028. A proposal to sell part of the valuable Lakeview development site to the private sector was also approved. Under the plan 2.7 hectares would be sold under freehold interest and 0.7ha would become prepaid leasehold land. The council would retain 74 per cent of the site including the Lynch Block, the location of 48 cabins currently used as affordable housing. Source: Stuff
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