Developer calls for QLDC to give right signals to attract capital investment to Queenstown

Alastair Porter, co-managing director of Porter Group Limited (owners of Remarkables Park and Shotover Park developments) has encouraged the Queenstown Lakes District Council to give the ‘right signals’ to attract capital investment to the town.

 

He said today (Aug 25) that Council leadership will assist to provide jobs and growth for the district, and also raise development levies and new sources of rates to support much-needed local government works.

 

Speaking to a full council meeting in public forum, Mr Porter said two items on the Council’s agenda today, roading and health service plans, were very important matters that warranted urgent and constructive leadership to give the right signals.

 

He said the discussion of the realignment of roads in an area of on-going growth south of the airport would impact the speed with which new capital development projects currently being planned close to that road could be realised.

 

Further, the designation of the Humphrey Street connection to Lucas Place, the road that runs between Queenstown Airport and Remarkables Park, would provide confidence that the Council was being proactive in terms of providing improved access to the airport, the existing shopping centre, and planned major development in that area.

 

He said this would benefit a wide range of parties, including the airport, visitors to Remarkables Park, local residents, and improve access for new and existing residents at Jacks Point, Kawarau Falls Station and Kelvin Heights.”

 

Mr Porter also encouraged the Council to take a leadership role in achieving a constructive and speedy resolution of health issues in the district.

 

“Like all matters to do with health, the problems are complex and are heavily dependent on funding,” he said.

 

“To ensure public funding is not the only option, our group has worked for a number of years to ensure potential public and private solutions to Queenstown’s hospital, aged care and retirement village needs are part of the funding mix.”

 

He recommended to councillors that a process that considered all points of view and all sources of capital and services would have the best chance of finding an optimal solution to the district’s health care requirements.

 

“Everyone in the district wants that to happen sooner rather than later,” he said.