The community is being asked to get involved in a draft Structure Plan for Te Tapuae Southern Corridor, which aims to guide how land around Hanley’s Farm, Jack’s Point, and Homestead Bay will grow to ensure it remains a highly desirable place where people can live, work, play, and visit.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) General Manager Strategy & Policy Michelle Morss, said given the area could support up to a total of 9,300 houses by 2050 and its population was already growing rapidly, it was important Council prepared for current and future needs of the community.

“We’ve seen Te Tapuae Southern Corridor’s population increase by 260% in the last five years alone, and we’re expecting that growth to continue regardless of whether we’ve planned for it or not,” said Ms Morss.

“That’s why it’s important we have a strategy in place to ensure neighbourhoods across the entire corridor are designed in the best possible way for our communities. That means identifying where homes, shops, and parks go, how people get around, and where services are placed and staged in future.”

Created through a carefully considered process and informed by technical assessments, public feedback, and targeted stakeholder engagement, the draft Structure Plan for Te Tapuae Southern Corridor proposes a range of ways to address key challenges and opportunities in the area.

These include measures to provide better transport options in the area, more housing choice, supporting three waters infrastructure, stronger community facilities (like new schools, healthcare options, and reserves), and shops and local business opportunities.

Some of those measures would lead to things like more frequent bus services and increased active travel routes, a mixture of low, medium, and high-density housing, a new primary school, more parks and sports fields, and a new town centre at Jack's Point Village.

The draft Structure Plan looks 30 years into the future and accounts for what already exists in the area and what could limit development in the future, then explores how different housing and densities would impact the need for infrastructure in Te Tapuae Southern Corridor.

Ms Morss added that development in the area would have a wide range of implications if it wasn’t managed carefully, with increasing congestion on the roading network already evident as residents leave the area to access basic services, community facilities, and work and education.

“I would like to encourage everyone to read through the draft Structure Plan, share your feedback, and ensure future development in the area meets the needs of the community and protects what makes this place special,” said Ms Morss.

The draft Structure Plan for Te Tapuae Southern Corridor, supporting information, and details on how to share feedback are all available online at https://letstalk.qldc.govt.nz/te-tapuae-southern-corridor. Summaries of the proposal are available at QLDC’s office at 10 Gorge Road in Queenstown.

Those interested are also invited to drop into community engagement sessions being hosted in the area next week, where Council staff will share more information about the draft plan, answer questions, and take feedback from those who prefer to share it in person.

The sessions are being run on Tuesday 24 June from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at Te Kura Whakatipu o Kawarau’s school hall, and on Wednesday 25 June from 6.00pm to 8.00pm at Jack’s Point Golf Course Clubhouse. Attendees are invited to pop in at any time for a chat.

The Structure Plan for Te Tapuae Southern Corridor does not change zoning, but will set the direction for future development in the area. Once feedback has been incorporated into a final plan, Council will then consider it for formal adoption in September 2025.

If adopted, separate plan changes or variations to the District Plan would be required to implement the Structure Plan.

© Scoop Media