Big changes are planned for Lake Hāwea’s hospitality scene, including a new site for the Lake Hāwea Hotel.

The public bar of the hotel was packed with residents on Sunday afternoon (September 1) to hear from Quartz Development Group managing director Matt Laming on plans for “two exciting new developments” for the township’s commercial precinct.

Matt told the crowd he wanted residents to hear about the new plans before the first resource consent application was lodged today (Monday September 2).

“We are building a new hotel in Hāwea that is not on the current site,” he said, adding that the plans include a hotel, visitor accommodation, private residences, hospitality, retail and entertainment.

A residential subdivision of no more than 20 “stand alone, freehold” properties was planned for the site of the existing hotel, he said.

An artist’s impression of the development seen from the Capell Ave reserve. IMAGE: Supplied

The original hotel was built on the Capell Avenue site overlooking the lake in 1925, and its history includes original owner Claude Capell hosting the Duke of York there in 1927 during a royal visit to New Zealand.

A new building replaced the original hotel in 1987, and the plans unveiled yesterday show a new hotel being built further along Capell Ave, on the site of the current Hāwea Store & Kitchen.

The plans are a second go at a revamped commercial precinct for Lake Hāwea. Quartz took over the hotel in 2020 as the first Covid-19 lockdown began, and the developer’s plans for a grocery store next to the Hāwea Store & Kitchen were scuppered when Lake Hāwea resident Ray McLeod announced plans for another supermarket just up the road.

Read more: New supermarket proposed for busy community

The new plans from Quartz “are very different to what we said in the first resource consent application [in 2021]”, Matt said. The 2021 plans for the section next to the existing store included a restaurant, cinema, retail spaces, a supermarket and a medical clinic; as well as eight visitor accommodation units.

Read more: Lake Hāwea commercial development approved

The plans presented yesterday include a two-storied development offering “better hospitality and social spaces, entertainment, light retail and co-working spaces”, he said. Hotel rooms would be the primary occupancy, and the area would incorporate about 100 carparks.

The high level plans were still subject to change, Matt said. 

Matt Laming said he wants to work with council to develop the reserve (pictured yesterday). PHOTO: Wānaka App

Designer Bryce Monk of Threefold Architecture said the hotel’s history would be referenced by maintaining “the same qualities of the original hotel”, with some materials “to be recycled and incorporated into the new development”.

In the meantime, Quartz would ensure “continuity of hospitality” in Lake Hāwea, Matt said.

“Our intention is to create vibrant, social spaces and amenities for the growing population here – and if we need to we will establish temporary facilities next to the Hāwea Store and Kitchen to make sure people still have a space to eat and drink socially.”

The new hotel would provide a smaller outdoor area for events and Quartz hopes to work with community groups to design a transportable events trailer to be used for community events.

Locals react: Plans make ‘better sense’

The Wānaka App spoke to three long-term locals after the presentation, all of whom approved the new plans.

“I’m pleased that it’s going to include a hotel,” one said. “The rumour was that this was going to be a retirement village and the hotel would disappear.”

An artist’s impression of the development as seen from Bodkin Street. IMAGE: Supplied

He said while there had been a hotel on that site for almost 100 years, change was inevitable and many other facilities had changed sites over the years. He was happy, he said, “as long as we still have a restaurant and bar - a social centre”.

Another local told the Wānaka App the new plans made “better sense” than the earlier ones.

A resource consent application has now been lodged for the subdivision element of the project and further consent applications will follow for the removal of the hotel and construction of the new precinct. Construction of the Lake Hāwea Hotel & Residences is planned for 2025.

Previous Quartz Development Group projects include 209 Aspiring and Orchard Park in Wānaka, as well as Sentinel Park in Lake Hāwea.