Planning for the long-awaited ‘schools-to-pool’ active transport network appears to be gaining momentum as the council works with the Three Parks developer to improve the connectivity between Three Parks, the town centre and the school zones.

Discussions are underway this week to facilitate sealed, shortcut routes across Three Parks dedicated to cyclists and pedestrians, Three Parks developer Allan Dippie said.

“The SH84 underpass is complete and now we need to look at connecting the existing township, the high school and the other two primary schools to Three Parks by the most direct way possible,” he said.

“Good planning now means good outcomes for the future.”

Allan said his company Willowridge Developments has already started to identify the most direct routes which would provide access off the Wānaka-Luggate highway (SH84) as well as Ballantyne Road (near the golf course), connecting to venues like the Wānaka Recreation Centre and pool, the New World supermarket, Te Kura O Take Kārara school, and the future sports fields the council is planning on the former oxidation ponds site.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) had recently confirmed the goal to develop the 20ha ponds site, located on the southern border of Three Parks, Allan said, and he was planning to ensure the recreation centre connected easily to the future sports fields.

Five or six small to medium sized retail businesses are planned to occupy these buildings constructed beside the New World Supermarket. PHOTO: Wānaka App

“This will be an amazing project for Wānaka and we are encouraging the council to get cracking with it and our company is keen to assist where possible to help make this a reality,” Allan said.

Meanwhile, other developments across Three Parks, including new ventures ranging from funeral home services to high-tech businesses, are forging ahead as demand for new sites remains strong, he said.

“It’s good to see so many existing Wānaka businesses expanding their operations in Three Parks as well as new businesses establishing into Wānaka: such positive growth is welcome especially given the Covid situation.”

“When Covid first became a thing in 2020 I thought things at Three Parks would slow down but we have not had any projects cancel,” he said.

Work is soon to begin expanding the supermarket’s car park and some tenancies have already been leased for the two buildings currently under construction beside the supermarket which are designed to host five or six small to medium sized retail businesses.

Allan said there were another “three or four big projects on the boil”, including a large-scale development between Mitre 10 MEGA and the highway, plus “national and international” retail sites near the supermarket.

“The steady roll out of Three Parks is going well: we are not in a race to complete it however,” he said. “We want to achieve a well-planned, well executed development that locates everything in the exact right place at the right time for the town’s growth.”

“We have a big responsibility to get this project right, and I think we are, but ultimately it’s the Wānaka community that will be the judge of that one as it continues to expand.”