Queenstown is set to welcome temporary car parking near the town centre in time for the busy Christmas and New Year period, before the site on Stanley Street is upgraded to offer more parking spaces next year.

A consent application has already been lodged for what will begin as a gravel car park on the former site of the Queenstown Performing Arts Centre, providing approximately 54 spaces for use by Friday 20 December 2024.

And at Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) Full Council Meeting yesterday, Elected Members agreed to plans that will see the temporary car park expanded in 2025, voting for a sealed option to improve vehicle circulation, stormwater management, and provide 73 parking spaces in total.

Charges for use of the car park will be set at $3.10 per hour, with modelling targeting an occupancy of 80% expecting the project’s approximate cost of $1.5M could be paid back within three years, before a longer-term vision for community facilities on the site is agreed upon and begins to be implemented.

A total of 29 trees on the wider Stanley Street site were assessed by an arborist, 12 of which identified as important and mature species earmarked to be retained.

17 trees will be removed as part of works to seal the temporary car park in the new year, and at least 34 new trees will be planted in line with QLDC’s Tree Policy at locations to be determined.

In the meantime, part of the Stanley Street site is being used by Kā Huanui a Tāhuna Alliance for coach parking while access to Athol Street and its existing coach spaces is reduced due to stormwater upgrades underway on lower Ballarat Street, as part of the Town Centre Arterial project.

As coaches are expected to use the site until Friday 20 December, QLDC and Kā Huanui a Tāhuna Alliance are planning to complete works required to reinstate the area, to help speed up the creation of the temporary carpark once consent is granted.

The gravel parking area will remain available for use until after Waitangi weekend in 2025, before works are undertaken to extend and seal the area in line with the solution agreed to by Councillors.

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