Planning for Growth and Tourism in Queenstown

Blair Devlin – QLDC Senior Policy Analyst

Queenstown Issues

Sensitive Landscape +

High Growth Area & Development Pressure +

High Tourist Numbers=

Competing pressures and a complicated planning environment

A Balancing Act for all Involved

Fast Growing• The Queenstown Lakes District has been the fastest

growing district in NZ for many years• For year ended 30 June 2010, Queenstown Lakes

district and Selwyn fastest growing (2.5%)• District grew over 29% between 2001 – 2006 (25,000 to

32,500 usually resident)• Predicted to grow to over 74,000 people by 2026• Increase in visitor numbers from 13,500 to 28,000 per

day • Delay to 2011 census means out of date data• Question: What has driven the growth?

Sum of Count 2011 2031 Average Annual Growth (2011- 2031)

Average      

Population 46,612 67,439 1.9%

Wakatipu 32,236 46,817 1.9%

Usually Resident 19,150 29,543 2.2%

Visitors 13,086 17,274 1.4%

Wanaka 14,376 20,622 1.8%

Usually Resident 9,290 14,550 2.3%

Visitors 5,086 6,072 0.9%

Dwellings & Units 24,835 35,461 1.8%

Wakatipu 16,734 24,144 1.8%

Residential Dwellings 9,467 15,042 2.3%

Visitor Units 7,267 9,102 1.1%

Wanaka 8,101 11,317 1.7%

Residential Dwellings 5,787 8,549 2.0%

Visitor Units 2,314 2,768 0.9%

Peak      

Population 89,346 129,901 1.9%

Wakatipu 53,425 78,359 1.9%

Wanaka 35,921 51,542 1.8%

       

Median Age (Years) 35.8 41.7  

Growth Projections – next 20 years

Where will all these People Live and Work?

• All of these people need somewhere to live, work and shop

• 10,000 new houses & visitor units• New shops, industrial areas & offices• New infrastructure - roads, water, power

and sewerage• Can’t stop growth but can

try to manage it

Why is Queenstown Special?

The Landscape

An Alpine Lake Resort

TourismThe local economy is dependent on tourism

Planning for Tourism• Tourism activities generally all require

resource consent under the District Plan

• Focus is on managing effects of tourism activities on the environment, including landscape

• Other agencies approval also required e.g. Maritime New Zealand for commercial jet boating

• Some small scale tourism activities permitted, e.g. commercial recreational activity in groups <5 in Rural General zone, but otherwise all need resource consent

• Some prohibitions on tourism, e.g. motorised craft on Lake Hayes, others.

• Visitor accommodation generally a ‘controlled activity’ = resource consent required but cannot be refused

District Plan Rules

• Increasing conflicts over access to resources for tourism, e.g. KJet versus Thunder Jet for access to Kawarau River, now also ecojet

• Also managing conflicts between different recreational users e.g. commercial jet boating & fishing

• Impact on natural environment e.g. birdlife, river erosion

• Following several fatalities, safety now a huge issue

Key Issues

• From 1 October new safety regulations come into effect for commercial adventure tourism

• Regs require a safety audit and registration.

• QLDC has bylaws for certain resources, e.g. Shotover River, to limit use to a sole operator for safety reason

• ‘First in, first served’ approach of RMA does not always work well, e.g. Kawarau River

Key Issue - Safety

Planning for Growth in a Sensitive Landscape

• Community Planning Exercise – Queenstown 2020

• Strict rules for the Rural Area

• Setting urban growth boundaries to protect the rural area – plan changes underway

• Maintenance of rural character

Urban Growth Boundary G R O W T H C O N C E P T

ARROWTOWN

FRANKTON

JACKS POINT

ARTHURSPOINT

STATE HIGHWAY 6

QUEENSTOWNHILL

LAKE HAYES

LAKE WAKATIPU

0 1 2 3 4km500

T H

E

R E

M A

R K

A B

L E

S

KELVIN HEIGHTS

QUEENSTOWN

Intensification within defined boundaries:

Further investigation of zoning provisions required to encourage greater density in defined areas within urban boundaries.

All increase in density is subject to the basic principles of respecting the landscape and strengthening community.

Investigate the potential for intensification and integrated development in the Coneburn area-within environmental constraints.

Growth beyond defined boundaries managed by:

Already existing consents and zoning's

Recognition of settlements at Arthurs Point and Arrowtown:

Investigate the potential for intensification.

Subject to separate community plan review in the future.

Limited rural development [in terms of existing district plan].

Landscape categories.

Plan Changes – Urban Growth

• The Council has initiated a number of Plan Changes that seek to limit urban growth within the areas identified in the community plans

• Will go through consultation and submission process, council hearing

• Likely to also be heard in the Environment Court• Each Plan Change takes 2-3 years

Arrowtown Urban Growth BoundaryPlan Change 29

Arrowtown Boundary Plan Change

• Limits the growth of Arrowtown to existing boundaries. Trying to keep the small community feel

• If development is required it should be directed into other urban areas

• Constraining supply will affect housing affordability

Future Growth - Frankton Flats

Frankton Flats - Planning for Growth

• Future growth area – currently subject to Plan Change 19 which seeks to rezone the area for urban development

• Council-led plan change for residential visitor accommodation, industrial and retail zones

• Seeks to provide for growth whilst managing conflicts between proposed and existing uses

• Also subject to Plan Change 35 which seeks to adjust the airport noise boundaries to allow for future growth of the airport

• Also subject to Private Plan Change 34 – by Remarkables Park Ltd, seeking to increase the amount of Large Format Retail space.

• Pak ‘n’ Save resource consent

Frankton Flats - Planning for Growth

Do you recognise this?

Frankton Flats and Air Noise Boundaries

Air Noise Boundaries - Issues• Correct past inconsistencies

• Allow for future airport growth / assist the tourist industry

• Potential of night flights

• Effects on people – Frankton Arm etc

• Effects on new and potential development (i.e. Five Mile and Remarkables Park)

Remarkables Park – zoned for a comprehensive mixed use

development

•Lake Hayes Estate in foreground (approximately 350 sections)•Shotover Country Plan Change area (750 – 1200 new sections) in background•Combined, a new urban area bigger than Arrowtown•Continuous urban development from Queenstown Bay to Lake Hayes?

Treble Cone Gondola

• The proposed gondola will take 2,000 passengers per hour, up the 945m vertical rise from Cattle Flat to the Ski Area. The 3.3km trip will take 10.5 minutes, a significant saving on existing drive times.

• Resource Consent lodged, received approx 900 submissions

• Mostly in support – 1 in 10 in opposition

• Went to Council hearing – requested further information, has now been granted.

Treble Cone Gondola: Examples of Tourism / Growth Conflicts

• Rural / Outstanding Natural Landscape

• Safety concerns

• Increased people will result in increased development and infrastructure (sewage etc) up at the ski field, a fragile alpine environment

• Potential of a “small village” at the base of the gondola – effects on Wanaka township

What have been the impacts and issues brought about by tourism in Queenstown on people and the environment?

IMPACTS• Changes to the landscape that people come to see• Pressures on natural environment e.g. Arrowtown smog, over- abstraction of water in Cardrona• Conflicts between recreational users• Conflicts over access to resources• Changes to nature of town / community / temporary workers etc

ISSUES• Growth Management/ Infrastructure• Urban Form• Landscape Conservation• Affordable Housing• Funding/Growth• Heritage• Urban Design

Further ResourcesQueenstown Lakes District Council

www.qldc.govt.nz

District Plan

Media releases

Population figures

Current projects

Proposed Changes to the District Plan

Planning as a career…

• Check out New Zealand Planning Institute website: http://nzplanning.co.nz/

Are you interested in shaping the future, do you want to improve the quality of life for people and do you want to help protect and improve our natural and built environment?

If so, then planning IS THE CAREER for you!

• Your Planning Career Skill Check List!

• Communication is one of your strengths

• You enjoy team work

• You would enjoy working with communities

• Research and analysis is one of your strengths

• You would enjoy working with other professionals

• You understand the planning process

• You are a creative thinker

• You want to be part of a dynamic profession