A report signalling major changes to zoning in the district has been approved.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) councillors gave the green light to an independent hearing panel’s recommendation report for the Urban Intensification Variation (UIV) last week.

The UIV, and intensification generally, involves allowing denser housing and commercial development, QLDC planning and development general manager David Wallace said. 

The adopted UIV includes a ‘refined’ approach to height and density across the district from recommendations made by an independent hearing panel, comprising independent commissioners David Allen, Ian Munro, and Lyal Cocks.

Greater heights and density will be possible on generally greenfield land in ‘Wānaka South’.

The plan has been a long time coming - it was first broached in 2023, under direction from the central government National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) to build ‘out and up’.

Read more: Urban intensification: Growth ‘up and out’ proposed

The plan includes a focus on intensification in areas with higher accessibility and proximity to commercial and community services, such as Wānaka’s town centre and Three Parks.

Some of the key decisions as part of the recommendations include:

• A Suburban Residential Zone (SRZ) will enable more flexible two‑storey infill housing by increasing current permitted heights from 6.5m or 7m currently to 8m.
• The Medium Density Residential Zone (MDRZ) will be retained, and a new zone - Medium Density Residential A Zone (MDRAZ) - will allow greater height and density.
• Greater heights and density will be enabled on generally greenfield land in Wānaka South, increasing current permitted heights from 8m to 11m and removing density requirements of one residential unit per 250m2 net site area.
• The High Density Residential Zone (HDRZ) will be retained, with a new zone called High Density Residential A Zone (HDRAZ) to allow for greater height and density at Three Parks.
• The new HDRAZ will allow for building height of 16.5m and a tiered approach for any building greater than 24m to be discretionary activity.
• Existing zones and lower height limits in smaller settlements like Lake Hāwea will largely be retained.

QLDC council staff will publicly notify the decision and alter Proposed District Plan provisions to reflect the recommendations. There will be a 30-working day period where appeals can be lodged to the Environment Court from the date of public notification of the decision. 

The panel’s recommendation report, revised chapter provisions, and maps of the changes can all be viewed on the QLDC website.

Read more: More residential growth for ‘South Wānaka’

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