A new vision for Frankton
Our four submissions to the Frankton Masterplan challenged the predetermination that Queenstown Airport should remain in Frankton.
In September 2018 we engaged with the early Frankton master planning consultation at a Shaping our Future forum. Architect and urban designers David Jerram and Gillian Macleod questioned why the airport’s continued presence was presumed and not part of the discussion.
To help others better visualise the huge opportunity they saw, Jerram and Macleod used their professional capacities to develop an alternative master plan. They aimed for a fully integrated, high-density community that could become the central heart of the district.
On 29 April 2019, within the Frankton master plan consultation period, Jerram and Macleod presented their ideas to a public meeting. Hosted with the combined support of both the Frankton and Kelvin Heights community associations, they shared their Blue Skies Thinking vision with a 200-strong audience.
Two months later, when Boffa Miskell shared their draft vision with the community prior to submitting it to Council, Jerram and Macleod’s ideas were banned. That 17 July meeting was hosted by Shaping our Futures and the Frankton Community Association. We had approached both several days prior to ask if the Jerram/Macleod designs could be displayed. At the meeting, QLDC’s general Manager Infrastructure Peter Hansby flatly refused to allow any display of these designs and related information. When pressed, Mr Hansby said he had consulted with Council’s CEO Mike Theelen who confirmed that the Jerram/Macleod designs could not be shown.
This direct obstruction to alternative thinking during a period of purported consultation has been our continued experience.
In this post, we share our four written submissions.