Queenstown Town Centre Masterplan

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) today unveiled an ambitious range of proposals to enhance the Queenstown Town Centre, looking ahead to 2050.

The Queenstown Town Centre Masterplan, which has been underway since early this year, draws together a number of major projects, including a new town centre arterial, public and passenger transport facilities, parking, public realm upgrades and the establishment of a community heart for the town.

The work done so far connects all of these projects together, ensuring their future development is considered in an integrated way, creating a place that is people-focussed and appealing for everyone.

QLDC Mayor Jim Boult says the work underway to plan for a future Queenstown Town Centre is bold, but it’s a vital piece of work to ensure the town centre remains authentic and copes with the pressures of growth.

“We don’t want to lose Queenstown’s incredible appeal and vibe. We want our local people to feel a sense of pride and our visitors to have an authentic New Zealand experience.”

The proposals released today have been shortlisted as the current preferred options to transform the Town Centre and require further work to be finalised. QLDC is now asking for community feedback to test the ideas and provide some guidance on whether they’re appropriate solutions to the challenges currently facing the Town Centre.

Mayor Boult encouraged the community to consider the options with an open mind to the future.

“As we look ahead, we invite you to be visionary and aspirational with us. Some of the options, such as the new arterial, come with their own set of challenges that need careful consideration.”

“The community perspective of today is critical but we also have to consider our obligations to ensure that this place we love continues to hold the magic that makes it a wholly desirable national and global destination. It’s a great challenge to have and I encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunities to get involved.”

It was an exciting time for the community however Mayor Boult highlighted that the final work programme had to be affordable.

“We are very conscious of the cost involved in delivering the preferred options we’re putting forward. While council will bring what it reasonably can financially to the table, we will need to work hard on partnering with stakeholders, especially central government to demonstrate the regional, national and global benefit of this plan, to alleviate the burden on ratepayers. There are also opportunities to pursue alternative funding for some of the initiatives.”

Community engagement on the Queenstown Town Centre Masterplan will start on 10 July. Full details of the project can be found atwww.qldc.govt.nz/queenstown-town-centre

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