A proposed expansion to the Wānaka Hotel will feature two new retail spaces and an additional 21 guest rooms and suites.

Owners of the Ardmore Street hotel, which was built in 1960, have submitted a resource consent application to Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) for the significant expansion.

It is currently being considered by council staff.

Application documents show the new retail spaces would be located in one of two new building extensions.

The hotel is located on a prime town-centre site.

As well as the hotel itself, the premises also already has a cafe, restaurant, homeware store, liquor store and bar. 

“Two spaces on the lower floor of the southern building extension are to be used for retail premises,” planner Nicola Scott said in application documents.

The three-storey extension would be connected to the southern end of the existing hotel’s southern wing.

The remaining two storeys of the southern extension - which is around 131m2 in total - would feature four two-bedroom apartments for hotel guests.

A second, larger building would be located to the east of the existing southern wing of the hotel.

The two-storey, 238.1m2 block would have 17 guest units. 

Wānaka Hotel Property Ltd’s one hectare site is prime town centre real estate.

Its street address - and access to existing retail spaces and the hotel entry - are on Ardmore Street on the north of the site; the Lake Wānaka Centre is to the west; and to the east are commercial buildings and carparks.

To the south of the site is the Wānaka Library and a through-lane known as Bullock Creek Lane. 

The proposed extensions represent “relatively small scale insertions into an existing developed site within central Wānaka” urban designer Paula Costello said.

QLDC is currently considering the resource consent application.

PHOTOS: Wānaka App