Bid to subdivide land into 23 residential sections

PLANS concerning a new commercial zone in Cardrona Valley Rd in Wanaka will be heard by independent commissioners next month.

Peter Gordon and HGW Trustee’s Ltd have applied for resource consent to subdivide 22.3ha of land into 23 residential sections between Cardrona Valley Rd, Golf Course Rd, Gordon Rd and Frederick St.

Part of the proposal includes 2.4ha of land in Cardrona Valley Rd which could be rezoned as local shopping centre zone under the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s proposed district plan.

There were no details on what kind of retail businesses would be established in the zone, but they would be smallscale commercial and business activities.

Hearings on the proposed district plan will start on May 14.

The rezoning has been opposed in submissions relating to the resource consent as well as submissions to the proposed district plan.

Those opposed to the zone have asked for it to be reduced in size.

The size of the proposed zone was opposed by Willowridge Developments, owned by developer Allan Dippie and Jim Ledgerwood, who owns a neighbouring property.

The council’s senior policy planner has recommended the size of the zone be reduced to 1ha and a cap be placed on the size of the retail and office activities allowed in the zone.

Orchard Road Holdings, also owned by Mr Dippie, has opposed any consideration of the resource consent application until any decisions on the proposed district plan are made.

It was also opposed to the positioning of the proposed residential subdivision along a proposed but not yet developed road between Cardrona Valley Rd and Ballantyne Rd.

As the road was likely to become a key link in Wanaka’s transport network, any residential subdivision flanking it would pose issues with traffic safety, Orchard Road Holdings’ submission said.