370-lot Queenstown subdivision approved in fast-track process

Thursday, 22 August 2024

Glenpanel Developments co-owners Mark Tylden above the Queenstown Ladies Mile property development known as Flint’s Park.

A proposal for 370 residential units near Queenstown has been approved under the fast-track consent process after eight years of “absolute battle”.

The Flint’s Park subdivision is the first along the Ladies Mile-Te Pūtahi to get approval under the legislation that was intended to boost the economy during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The location of Flints Park, on the outskirts of Queenstown - the first of three planned neighbouring subdivisions to attain resource consent.

If two neighbouring proposals also get resource consent there will be about 1400 new homes in the area as well as schools and commercial areas.

Flint’s Park is to be developed by Glenpanel Developments, which is owned by Queenstown men Lindsey Topp and Mark Tylden.

Tylden said that in the future the Ladies Mile would become the entrance to Queenstown with a commercial centre, restaurants, shops, medical centre, playing fields, schools, and lower speed limits.

“It will look more like driving through the centre of town. It will evolve over the next 10 years and be a pretty cool place to live.”

The Flint’s Park subdivision proposal for 370 residential units at Ladies Mile near Queenstown has been approved under the fast-track consent process.

Tylden said it had been an “absolute battle” to get resource consent over eight years through the Resource Management Act, Special Housing Areas legislation and two fast-track applications.

Earlier this year, the Queenstown Lakes District Council rezoned the 120ha of land at Te Pūtahi Ladies Mile which addressed many of the issues.

The decision by the fast-track panel to grant the Flint’s Park resource consent was not perfect and the company was considering appealing some aspects, he said.

Issues included the need to apply the council for land use consent for each building and the exclusion of standalone housing, in favour of duplex, terrace and apartment housing.

However, the subdivision approval enabled the developers to “crack on” with on-site work potentially commencing over summer, he said.

Glenpanel Homestead will form part of a commercial development on the Flint’s Park site, near Queenstown.

The proposal included 370 residential units, a mixed-use precinct including heritage building Glenpanel Homestead, and associated infrastructure.

An artist’s impression of proposed housing at Flint’s Park, near Queenstown.

The decision said the panel recognised the positive effects of the proposal, particularly in relation to the provision of much needed housing and affordable housing.

“But the proposal cannot be delivered at any cost and the panel had considerable concerns throughout the process.”

Key concerns related to cultural effects around stormwater management, transport and safety issues, and urban design.

“The panel, through the process, was moving to decline the application … ultimately the panel's concerns were addressed by the applicant and by the panel limiting the scope of the consents granted.”

The Flint’s Park development site at Ladies Mile, Queenstown, which has resource consent for 370 homes.

Tylden was unimpressed by the fast-track process, claiming it was flawed, cost too much money and delayed the delivery of 1400 houses in the area.

The Queenstown Lakes area has a challenging housing market. (first published September, 2019)

There was little in the decision to address the concerns of nearby residents who were concerned about the impact of the housing on traffic in an area that ground to a standstill during peak periods.

Tylden said the problems were only between 8am and 9am, and only while schools were operating.

Intersection changes promised by the NZ Transport Agency would help alleviate the issues, he said.

“Our modelling shows the development will have less than minor effects on the highway.”

He intended for the houses to be affordable but was unable to gift land to the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust after the long delays getting the project started, he said.

“We’d like to work with the trust, we just have to figure out how we can do some community housing in a way that doesn’t transfer the cost onto other purchasers.”