Community asked for say on big issues

Two of the big issues facing the Queenstown Lakes District – where we live and what form that takes - are now open for feedback as the District Plan review turns its focus towards growth boundaries and residential zones.

The review, which is required to be undertaken every ten years, puts the current plan under the microscope to test if rules, policies and objectives are effective now and into the future.

Queenstown Lakes District Council’s general manager policy and planning Phil Pannett says the two areas being looked at have implications for the majority of people living in the district and he’s keen to get feedback from as many sectors as possible.

“Everybody lives in a dwelling of some description and whether they own it or not, the District Plan has or can have an impact,” he said.

Changes being proposed include changing things like where a house is built and how close to the boundary, how high the fence can be and where the garage sits. The review is also looking at how big sections should be in Low Density Residential areas.

Mr Pannett said it was important to hear from those who dealt with planning on a daily basis through to people that had never given these issues a second thought.

“We’d like to get everyone’s perspective,” he said.

The issue of growth boundaries for Queenstown and Wanaka was also open for feedback. Growth boundaries are used to show existing urban areas and where more housing can be built and Mr Pannett said they were a great way of ensuring townships grew in a practical way.

“Growth boundaries help us guide where future infrastructure goes and help us protect the district’s rural landscape,” Mr Pannett said.

“This is not necessarily about expansion. The growth boundaries proposed for Queenstown and Wanaka contain land enough to provide for the projected population though to 2031, if not beyond, and if we put them in place now, it gives us certainty around preparing for the future.”

Boundary provisions were introduced to the District Plan in June 2012, but no boundaries have been defined as yet.

An Environment Court decision is awaited on a growth boundary for Arrowtown although that case only relates to the final position of the southern boundary.

Discussion documents on growth boundaries and residential zones are available at www.qldc.govt.nz or from any Council office.

District Plan Review Roadshow

The council planning team will be taking a mini roadshow to various venues around the district to talk about residential zoning, growth boundaries and answer any questions people may have about the District Plan Review.

Tuesday 29 January - Wakatipu New World, Remarkables Park, Frankton 3 – 6pm
Wednesday 30 January - Fresh Choice Queenstown, Gorge Road, 1-4pm
Thursday 31 January – Wanaka New World, Dunmore Street, 10am – 2pm