The developer of a planned expansion of Lake Hāwea’s commercial zone says he is reassessing the best use of the site.

Resource consent plans for the Capell Ave site - including a supermarket, restaurant, cinema, retail spaces, and visitor accommodation - were revealed in 2021.

Lake Hāwea Holdings Ltd, owned by Wānaka businessman Matt Laming, is behind the plans, and he told the Wānaka App this week he still intends to develop the site.

“The consents are in place,” Matt said. “Holding us back are strategic decisions and the economic environment.”

Images of the proposed new commercial area. IMAGES: Supplied

Matt said the approval of a second supermarket for Lake Hāwea in early 2022 “put paid” to his operator’s interest in putting groceries in the Lake Hāwea Holdings commercial hub.

Project H received resource consent approval for a 450m2 Hāwea supermarket between Bodkin Street and Parry Crescent, just around the corner from Matt’s site. Project H director Ray MacLeod recently told the Wānaka App the supermarket is likely to open in the middle of 2024.

Matt said he still intends to develop retail and hospitality without a supermarket, which had previously taken up 60 percent of the planned area.

Meanwhile the Hāwea Community Association recently explained the outcome of a newly agreed urban zone for the township, which included a second commercial zone at Longview, on Cemetery Road.

“In 25 years’ time Hāwea is going to be the same size Wānaka is today, and Wānaka has two to three different commercial precincts,” Matt said.

“I don’t have a problem at all, I think they’ll service different needs.”

A commercial zone is “far more sensible in Longview”, he said, adding the Capell Ave site is much more restricted for parking.

“We’re likely to be much more ‘boutique’.”

Matt said he would be submitting “tweaked” variations to the resource consent within the next six months.

Read more:

Big changes proposed for Lake Hāwea commercial zone

FreshChoice coming to Hāwea

Potential and pain on Hāwea’s ‘path to development’