Rezoning call to allow development

A FARMING family has called for part of its land to be rezoned in a proposed district plan for the Wakatipu Basin to allow future residential development.

The Middleton Family Trust made a submission to a hearing panel at the Copthorne Hotel in Queenstown on Thursday, opposing part of stage 2 of the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s proposed plan for the area.

The plan aims to create two new zones — a 4672ha rural amenity zone and a 2198ha lifestyle precinct — to protect rural land and limit development.

The family, which has farmed land on Queenstown Hill for generations, is seeking for the rural land to be rezoned as a lowdensity residential (LDR) area.

In his evidence produced on behalf of the family, planning consultant Nicholas Geddes said ‘‘LDR provisions were chosen as this zone is the most predominant residential zone in the Wakatipu Basin’’.

The family’s submission calls for land generally located between Lake Johnson and the Shotover River, in the Tucker Beach area, to be rezoned as the ‘‘Tucker Beach residential precinct’’ and be adopted as part of the proposed district plan.

Mr Geddes said there was ‘‘an obvious bespoke set of provisions which need to be introduced’’ to allow for the proposed urban growth.

Under the current plan, the family’s land would be split between the lifestyle precinct — on a small eastern part of their land — and the rural amenity zone.

The family also called for a section of land just to the north of the suggested Tucker Beach residential zone, below the Shotover River, to be zoned as part of the lifestyle precinct.

Landscape architect Benjamin Espie, acting on behalf of the family, identified two large, flat terrace areas in the suggested Tucker Beach precinct that should enable suburban development down to a minimum lot size of 600sq m.

Mr Espie said the steeper parts of the area proposed to be rezoned would be identified as a protected nobuild zone.

Within the proposed rural amenity zone, new sections of land must be at least 80ha.

In the lifestyle precinct, sec tions need to be at least 6000sq m.

Consulting economist Michael Copeland told the panel that increasing land supply for residential development in the proposed area could ‘‘benefit the local economy by increasing competition’’ and lead to more affordable housing in the region.

The family’s submission has been opposed by several residents, and council planners have recommended it be rejected.