Submission to the Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan
The Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan sets out the district’s future urban development.
It is a new initiative mandated by government for New Zealand’s highest growth districts. It brings together councils, agencies, and iwi to provide an integrated strategy. Participants include Queenstown Lakes District Council, Otago Regional Council, New Zealand Transport Agency, the Ministry Of Business Innovation and Enterprise, and Nḡai Tāhu.
With the district’s population projected to double by 2050, an integrated growth strategy is crucial. We were concerned that from the outset it was predetermined Queenstown Airport would remain in Frankton. All the public consultation and focus groups were thus limited in the scope of their discussion, with the topic of Queenstown Airport’s relocation explicitly excluded.
As a high-level vision to guide planning over the next 30 years, we believe this predetermination seriously compromises the process and outcomes. For example, it becomes nonsensical to advocate for central development in Frankton when it’s clear to everyone that the airport will continue to dominate that area. The location of the airport is one of the big blocks that should be discussed first.
Our submission shows how the densification of Frankton enabled by the relocation of Queenstown Airport was the best possible strategy to achieve each of the Spatial Plan’s goals.