Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is seeking input to inform development of the Spatial Plan 2024 Gen 2.0, which builds on the Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan adopted in 2021.

This public ‘call for sites’ process invites the community to suggest sites or areas that could be considered suitable for residential and business urban development across the district.

The Gen 2.0 plan will take around 12 months to complete and will become part of the Future Development Strategy, a government requirement for all high-growth councils in Aotearoa New Zealand.

QLDC Strategic Growth Manager Anita Vanstone said the district is now home to over 48,000 residents, which is expected to grow to over 82,000 in the next 30 years.

“Our district continues to be a highly desirable place to live, visit and invest in and that’s down to the love for this place, its diverse communities, landscapes, lifestyle, economic opportunities, and national and international connectivity,” she said.

“But with that desirability comes increased demand for houses, businesses and supporting infrastructure and a need to ensure we ‘grow well’. That involves creating urban and green spaces that don’t just meet our needs but are places we’re all proud of.”

The second generation Spatial Plan is in its early stages of development. One of the first steps required is a public call for sites; an opportunity to suggest sites and areas that could be suitable for urban development.

“As part of this, people can also suggest special environmental features or areas that warrant greater protection or enhancement, such as a stream or areas with native vegetation, or to suggest areas they consider inappropriate for urban development due to things like natural hazard or infrastructure constraints, or noise and odour from neighbouring activities,” Ms Vanstone said.

Detailed criteria for suitable sites for future urban development and a GIS-based survey for suggestions can be found at letstalk.qldc.govt.nz.

The public call for sites will close on 16 July with several options for potential future growth developed following evaluation. Public engagement on these options is planned for October this year, followed by the development of a draft Future Development Strategy/Spatial Plan Gen 2.0 for formal notification in early 2024.

FURTHER INFORMATION | KĀ PĀROKO TĀPIRI

• This Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan 2021 and Spatial Plan 2024 Gen 2.0 are the work of the Whaiora Grow Well Partnership, an Urban Growth Partnership between Central Government, Kāi Tahu, QLDC and Otago Regional Council (ORC).
• Spatial Plan 2024 Gen 2.0 Let’s Talk page: https://letstalk.qldc.govt.nz/spatial-plan-2024-gen-2
• Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan 2021: https://www.qldc.govt.nz/your-council/council-documents/queenstown-lakes-spatial-plan
• Growth projections and demand: https://www.qldc.govt.nz/community/population-and-demand

Why do we need to develop another Spatial Plan?

When Council adopted its first Spatial Plan it was intended that this would be its Future Development Strategy as per the requirements of the 2016 National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity (NPS-UDC).

Since the first plan was adopted, a change in central government policy resulted in the NPS-UDC being replaced by the 2020 National Policy Statement Urban Development. This included a new requirement for the Future Development Strategy to be the joint responsibility of both QLDC and ORC. Whilst ORC was involved in the formation of the first Spatial Plan they were not partners.

As such the Spatial Plan Gen 2.0 will build on the first plan and continue to provide a long-term framework for managing growth. It directs growth in a way that will make positive changes to the environment, housing, access to jobs and opportunities, the experience of visitors and the wellbeing of the community. It recognises that solving these challenges will require central, regional and local government, and Kāi Tahu working together with the community and private sector.

© Scoop Media