Land needs to go for planned intersection
PART of the Queenstown Events Centre and neighbouring Frankton Golf Course land will be disposed of to make way for a new, signalised intersection.
However, it appears there will be enough land remaining for the Frankton Golf Course to keep its nine holes.
In a report to Thursday’s full Queenstown Lakes District Council meeting, sport and recreation manager Simon Battrick said Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency had worked with the council for several years to design upgrades for State Highway 6 to better manage traffic.
Waka Kotahi proposes the existing BP roundabout be enlarged and replaced with traffic signals, creating a new intersection on the northern side of State Highway 6, and offsetting and splitting traffic at the Hansen Rd and events centre intersection.
Both intersections would also have traffic signals.
The upgrades required about 2500sq m of councilowned Queenstown Events Centre land and 8230sq m of Frankton Golf Centre land, which is Crownowned through the Department of Conservation but managed by the council, to be disposed of.
The disposal of the golf centre land meant the golf course would need to be modified.
In public consultation, 23 submissions were received, of which 13 were in support, five opposed and five neutral.
Generally, submitters were opposed to a reduction in holes at the golf course but supportive of measures to reduce congestion.
At this week’s meeting, Cr Craig Ferguson asked Cr Glyn Lewers, the former Frankton Community Association chairman and a member on the hearing panel, if it was ‘‘the continuation of death by a thousand cuts’’ for the golf course.
Cr Lewers said he believed it could stay as a ninehole course.
‘‘It’s just the overall future of the golf course will inevitably be left to the next council, and it’s probably a priority for them because, as you say, there’s a lot of pressure on that little piece of land there.’’
Hearing panel chairwoman Cr Niamh Shaw said it was emphasised during the hearing that the layout of the course was ‘‘still open for discussion’’.
Community services acting general manager Meaghan Miller said the council was developing golf course modification plans, which included consideration for access.
She expected a report to come back to the council about November, depending on the next council’s priorities.