Last month Mt Iron Junction Ltd’s mixed-use development, including a vehicle service station, residential dwellings and a “workers’ accommodation village”, was given the green light to proceed, but its start date is still unknown.

Resource consent for the development was originally declined by the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) in 2018 but a compromise was reached through the Environment Court for a modified development and conditional consent was granted in April.

One of the conditions specified, however, is an operational roundabout adjacent to the development: “No buildings authorised by this consent shall be occupied by tenants or the public until the roundabout at the intersection of SH6, SH84 and Riverbank Road has been constructed and is operational.”

A roundabout at the complex and busy intersection adjacent to the future development has long been discussed but a New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) spokesperson says is still “a way off at this stage”.

An image on the proposed Mt Iron Junction development plans includes the proposed roundabout. PHOTO: Supplied

In February 2020 the NZTA, acknowledging the growth in traffic and associated increased safety risks, said a proposal for a roundabout had been “brought forward” for consideration.

Last week, NZTA senior project manager Simon Underwood confirmed he is “progressing the roundabout’s design” but, due to the complex nature of the design and funding process, it was too early for the NZTA to advise when the roundabout’s construction might begin.

Related: Mt Iron Junction development gets green light

NZTA spokesperson Frances Adank said finalising the roundabout was “a time consuming legal process” and final construction funding has not been allocated yet. It “will be balanced around other national priorities and calls upon our funding at that time”, she said.

Local businessman Steve Schikker, who co-owns Mt Iron Junction Ltd, said with the consent granted further planning and detailed design can now take place and, while his team was looking forward to getting the development underway, he doubted there would be any earthworks begun this year.

He said NZTA has been part of the process from the conceptual stage and his team continued to work closely with the agency on all aspects of the project.