SHA decision today; trio under pressure
THE heat is on the three Wanaka ward members of the Queenstown Lakes District Council when the council meets today to decide whether a 400section special housing area (SHA) at Lake Hawea should be approved.
Through feedback to the council, a petition and public statements, Lake Hawea residents have made it clear a majority does not want the subdivision on the township’s southern outskirts.
Public feedback gathered by the council from across the Lakes district included 114 comments opposed and 64 in favour of the SHA.
Lake Hawea is represented on the council by Quentin Smith, Calum MacLeod and Ross McRobie.
While reluctant to discuss the matter ahead of today’s meeting, Cr Smith accepted it would be a ‘‘very difficult decision’’.
‘‘There are quite conflicting opinions and needs on the issue and we are taking it very seriously.’’
He said there were a number of ‘‘key aspects’’ the council would need to consider when making its decision, including council policy and Government directives around the need for urban growth and development.
‘‘There are a whole lot of conflicting needs that are driving this discussion which we need to work through.’’
Hawea Community Association chairman Paul Cunningham said the community had made it ‘‘loud and clear’’ it was opposed to the SHA and he believed there would be ‘‘a lot of pressure’’ on the three ward councillors.
‘‘They’ve got a big decision to make.’’
‘‘It’s their job to hopefully vote in favour of what the community wants.
‘‘And they will stand accountable.’’
Mr Cunningham said the ‘‘only redress’’ the community had was at the next election.
He noted the Lakes district had nine special housing areas.
‘‘They’re not in the habit of turning them down, are they?
‘‘They clearly see the need over there [Queenstown].
‘‘The people here don’t see the need here.’’
He believed there was plenty of room for more SHAs in Wanaka.
Council planners have recommended the special housing area, proposed by Universal Developments Ltd, owned by Wanaka developer Lane Hocking, go ahead, subject to conditions.