Planning for Growth and Tourism in Queenstown

1. Planning for Growth and Tourism in Queenstown Blair Devlin – QLDC Senior Policy Analyst

2. Queenstown Issues Sensitive Landscape + High Growth Area & Development Pressure + High Tourist Numbers = Competing pressures and a complicated planning environment A Balancing Act for all Involved

3. Fast Growing • The Queenstown Lakes District has been the fastest growing district in NZ for many years • For year ended 30 June 2010, Queenstown Lakes district and Selwyn fastest growing (2.5%) • District grew over 29% between 2001 – 2006 (25,000 to 32,500 usually resident) • Predicted to grow to over 74,000 people by 2026 • Increase in visitor numbers from 13,500 to 28,000 per day • Delay to 2011 census means out of date data • Question: What has driven the growth?

4. Growth Projections – next 20 years

5. Where will all these People Live and Work? • All of these people need somewhere to live, work and shop • 10,000 new houses & visitor units • New shops, industrial areas & offices • New infrastructure - roads, water, power and sewerage • Can’t stop growth but can try to manage it

6. Why is Queenstown Special?

7. The Landscape

8. An Alpine Lake Resort

9. TourismThe local economy is dependent on tourism

10. Planning for Tourism • Tourism activities generally all require resource consent under the District Plan • Focus is on managing effects of tourism activities on the environment, including landscape • Other agencies approval also required e.g. Maritime New Zealand for commercial jet boating

11. District Plan Rules • Some small scale tourism activities permitted, e.g. commercial recreational activity in groups <5 in Rural General zone, but otherwise all need resource consent • Some prohibitions on tourism, e.g. motorised craft on Lake Hayes, others. • Visitor accommodation generally a ‘controlled activity’ = resource consent required but cannot be refused

12. Key Issues • Increasing conflicts over access to resources for tourism, e.g. KJet versus Thunder Jet for access to Kawarau River, now also ecojet • Also managing conflicts between different recreational users e.g. commercial jet boating & fishing • Impact on natural environment e.g. birdlife, river erosion • Following several fatalities, safety now a huge issue

13. Key Issue - Safety • From 1 October new safety regulations come into effect for commercial adventure tourism • Regs require a safety audit and registration. • QLDC has bylaws for certain resources, e.g. Shotover River, to limit use to a sole operator for safety reason • ‘First in, first served’ approach of RMA does not always work well, e.g. Kawarau River

14. Community Planning Exercise – Queenstown 2020 Strict rules for the Rural Area Setting urban growth boundaries to protect the rural area – plan changes underway Maintenance of rural character Planning for Growth in a Sensitive Landscape

15. Urban Growth Boundary

16. Plan Changes – Urban Growth • The Council has initiated a number of Plan Changes that seek to limit urban growth within the areas identified in the community plans • Will go through consultation and submission process, council hearing • Likely to also be heard in the Environment Court • Each Plan Change takes 2-3 years

17. Arrowtown Urban Growth Boundary Plan Change 29

18. Arrowtown Boundary Plan Change • Limits the growth of Arrowtown to existing boundaries. Trying to keep the small community feel • If development is required it should be directed into other urban areas • Constraining supply will affect housing affordability

19. Future Growth - Frankton Flats

20. Frankton Flats - Planning for Growth • Future growth area – currently subject to Plan Change 19 which seeks to rezone the area for urban development • Council-led plan change for residential visitor accommodation, industrial and retail zones • Seeks to provide for growth whilst managing conflicts between proposed and existing uses

21. Frankton Flats - Planning for Growth • Also subject to Plan Change 35 which seeks to adjust the airport noise boundaries to allow for future growth of the airport • Also subject to Private Plan Change 34 – by Remarkables Park Ltd, seeking to increase the amount of Large Format Retail space. • Pak ‘n’ Save resource consent

22. Do you recognise this?

23. Frankton Flats and Air Noise Boundaries

24. Air Noise Boundaries - Issues • Correct past inconsistencies • Allow for future airport growth / assist the tourist industry • Potential of night flights • Effects on people – Frankton Arm etc • Effects on new and potential development (i.e. Five Mile and Remarkables Park)

25. Remarkables Park – zoned for a comprehensive mixed use development

26. Lake Hayes Estate in foreground (approximately 350 sections) • Shotover Country Plan Change area (750 – 1200 new sections) in background • Combined, a new urban area bigger than Arrowtown • Continuous urban development from Queenstown Bay to Lake Hayes?

27. The proposed gondola will take 2,000 passengers per hour, up the 945m vertical rise from Cattle Flat to the Ski Area. The 3.3km trip will take 10.5 minutes, a significant saving on existing drive times. Resource Consent lodged, received approx 900 submissions Mostly in support – 1 in 10 in opposition Went to Council hearing – requested further information, has now been granted. Treble Cone Gondola

28. Treble Cone Gondola: Examples of Tourism / Growth Conflicts • Rural / Outstanding Natural Landscape • Safety concerns • Increased people will result in increased development and infrastructure (sewage etc) up at the ski field, a fragile alpine environment • Potential of a “small village” at the base of the gondola – effects on Wanaka township

29. What have been the impacts and issues brought about by tourism in Queenstown on people and the environment? • IMPACTS • Changes to the landscape that people come to see • Pressures on natural environment e.g. Arrowtown smog, over- abstraction of water in Cardrona • Conflicts between recreational users • Conflicts over access to resources • Changes to nature of town / community / temporary workers etc • ISSUES • Growth Management/ Infrastructure • Urban Form • Landscape Conservation • Affordable Housing • Funding/Growth • Heritage • Urban Design

30. Further ResourcesQueenstown Lakes District Council www.qldc.govt.nz District Plan Media releases Population figures Current projects Proposed Changes to the District Plan

31. Planning as a career… • Check out New Zealand Planning Institute website: http://nzplanning.co.nz/ Are you interested in shaping the future, do you want to improve the quality of life for people and do you want to help protect and improve our natural and built environment? If so, then planning IS THE CAREER for you! • Your Planning Career Skill Check List! • Communication is one of your strengths • You enjoy team work • You would enjoy working with communities • Research and analysis is one of your strengths • You would enjoy working with other professionals • You understand the planning process • You are a creative thinker • You want to be part of a dynamic profession