A major expansion of the Lake Hāwea commercial zone has been approved by the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) and could be up and running by next summer.

The two-storey development, by Matt Laming’s Lake Hāwea Holdings Ltd, may include a restaurant, cinema, six retail spaces, a supermarket and a medical clinic, with a total floor area of 1,666m2.

The development on Lakeview Terrace will be located next to the existing Hāwea Store and Kitchen.

Also approved are eight visitor accommodation units (four one-bed units and four two-bed units) and parking.

The existing Hāwea Store and Kitchen is separately owned. PHOTO: Supplied

“I’m bloody relieved to be honest,” Matt Laming told the Wānaka App. He said the application process had taken at least 11 months, which was “far longer than it should have”.

Matt said he hoped to break ground on the new development by April at the earliest, although it could be as late as June.

“Our real goal now is to have things open and running by next summer. If we can achieve that, that’s fantastic,” he said.

A second resource application for a supermarket on a neighbouring site is currently being vetted by the QLDC. Project H Ltd proposes to construct a SuperValue (Woolworths) supermarket on land between Bodkin Street and Parry Crescent.

Read more: New supermarket proposed for busy community

Matt said he didn’t think it made sense to have potentially two or three grocery stores side by side in that part of Lake Hāwea, given “the future growth is away from there”.

However, he said grocery is not a given for the newly approved development, and there are no grocery contracts in place.

Lake Hāwea Holdings Ltd sought to re-develop the Lakeview Terrace site in line with the Local Shopping Centre Zone, which enables small scale commercial and business activities in largely residential environments to reduce the need for locals to travel longer distances to town centres to purchase convenience goods and access services. 

The QLDC agreed the Lake Hāwea Holdings Ltd application will be processed on a non-notified basis.