Queenstown Property and Real Estate – Your Comprehensive Resource.

Exit This Story

Exit This Story

200 NEW HOMES FOR LADIES MILE, QUEENSTOWN

printgraphic Print Page

October, 2017

A controversial proposal allowing more than 2000 homes to be built at
the 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

 

+64 27 444 1104
©2018 Queenstown Property New Zealand. Privacy