Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has appointed experienced business and governance professional Dr Don Elder to Queenstown Airport Corporation’s (QAC) board of directors. Mayor Glyn Lewers said Don, who was appointed on October 30 at the QAC AGM after approval by councillors at a recent meeting, was a “stand-out candidate with a wealth of experience and knowledge”.“His long governance experience in transport, infrastructure and major projects, energy, construction, finance, tech startups and risk management will add further depth to the board’s expertise in key areas as the airport continues to deliver for our community and visitors.”Queenstown Airport is a Council-Controlled Trading Organisation (CCTO) with two shareholders: Queenstown Lakes District Council (75.1 percent) and Auckland Airport (24.9 percent).  Don fills a vacant position on the board following the internal election of Simon Flood as chair in September. Simon had replaced Adrienne Young-Cooper who stepped down from the board after completing the maximum number of terms under QAC’s constitution.Don said he was excited to join the board.“The strategic future of Queenstown Airport is intrinsically linked with the future of our district and wider region,” he said. “QAC’s ten-year plan describes an innovative airport that serves the region well. I’m looking forward to supporting my colleagues on the board and the management team in delivering this vision for QAC’s shareholders and the local community.” Don’s current directorships include Pioneer Energy, Wenita Forestry, Canterbury Seismic, and several social service charities.   In addition to his appointment, two existing QAC directors – Andrew Blair and Mike Tod – were reappointed at the AGM.PHOTO: Supplied

Should shops in Queenstown Lakes be allowed to open on Easter Sunday?Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) wants members of the public to weigh in on this question, to help inform its proposed draft Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy 2025.Easter Sunday is a restricted trading day under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 (Act) which requires shops to remain closed, except for certain shops under certain conditions. However, shops in Queenstown Lakes have been allowed to trade on Easter Sunday since 2017 because of an amendment to the Act which enabled councils to adopt policies to permit shops to open on Easter Sunday. QLDC’s Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy in 2017 has now expired.Council staff are proposing the new policy allows all shops to open on Easter Sunday again.Allowing shops to open supports local businesses who benefit from tourist trade and provides greater options for the large volume of visitors to the district over this time period, council staff said.It is only applicable to Easter Sunday and does not include Good Friday or Easter Monday.The policy would also not apply to the sale or supply of alcohol, which is regulated under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.Copies of the draft Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy 2025 and submission information can be found online here, at QLDC offices and all libraries.The final policy is expected to be presented to councillors for adoption in March 2025.Public input closes on November 30.PHOTO: Supplied

The majority of submissions made about a McDonald's restaurant opening in Wānaka are not lovin' it. Photo: 123rf366 submissions were made about a McDonalds restaurant opening in Wānaka339 were opposed to the proposal, while 21 supported itSix submissions sought changes to the plan106 people have agreed to speak at a four-day hearing in NovemberThe majority of submissions made about a McDonald's restaurant opening in Wānaka are not lovin' it.Consent is being sought to open a 455 square-metre restaurant at the Wānaka-Luggate Highway, with a drive-thru operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.Of the 366 submissions made to the Queenstown Lakes District Council, 339 were opposed, 21 were in support and six wanted changes.One hundred and six people have agreed to speak at a meeting later in November.Wao Aotearoa Charitable Trust, strongly opposed to the idea, had concerns about the visual and aesthetic impact on the town."The proposed site is highly visible at the entrance of Wānaka and is adjacent to significant landscape features such as Mount Iron," its submission said."The development will have a substantial adverse impact on the visual and aesthetic values of this sensitive location."The proposed mitigation measures, including planting and mounding, are insufficient to address the impacts of the building, signage, lighting, and parking areas."This site does not align with the community's objective to protect and enhance our natural landscapes."The trust also had concerns about waste management, with the submission saying Wānaka had shown leadership in the move to a zero-waste economy."McDonald's continued use and reliance on single-use and disposable packaging goes against commitment to zero waste and environmental protection. The toxicity and waste caused by single use packaging leaks into the environment, and causes a huge amount of damage to our ecosystems."In a joint submission by Wastebusters and Plastic Free Wanaka, opposed to the idea, said the heart of Wānaka's shared values was protecting the natural environment."This includes guardianship of our outstanding natural landscape, protection of our alpine waterways and transitioning to a circular economy, and is recognised in the council's strategic documents including the Vision Beyond 2050, the Destination Management Plan and the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan."Thirty percent of the community (5565 people) have already signed a petition to stop a McDonald's from opening in Wānaka, with waste and the environmental impact being commonly cited concerns."There were also people who would like to see some golden arches in their area.One woman, who lived about a kilometre from the proposed site, was for the restaurant being built - but with some conditions."Opening hours are restricted to 10pm on weeknights and 12pm on weekends," her submission said."I am concerned by the potential for excessive traffic movements, unsafe driving and anti-social behaviour by McDonalds customers speeding along Aubrey road at night disturbing sleeping residents. Limiting opening hours would help reduce the impact."The local also wanted to see safe access for cyclists and contribution to local community projects that enhance the environment of the adjacent Mt Iron Reserve.Another resident in favour said it would be "a positive addition to take away food outlets in the town" and that "it is appropriate for people to have food choices".The council meeting is set down for 25 November.

Cardrona Alpine Resort’s base complex is getting an upgrade: plans have been approved for a 619m2 building with retail services on the ground floor and food and beverage facilities upstairs.The existing retail and administration building will be demolished to make way for the new one, named ‘Project Arcadia’.Project Arcadia is one of a number of projects the ski field is undertaking to better equip it for the increase in users expected from ski area expansion.Plans for ‘Project Arcadia’, a new retail, food and beverage building, have been approved.Cardrona Alpine Resort is developing a new chairlift and ski runs in the Soho Basin which, together with the Willows Basin, make up the Soho Ski Area.Earmarked to open for winter 2025, the new six-seater chairlift will service around 150ha of terrain. Project Arcadia and other projects will “support this new development and the additional visitors it may bring to the mountain”, application documents said.The old retail and administration building, pictured, will be demolished to make way for Project ArcadiaA separate project billed to include a high speed electric passenger lift system linking the Cardrona Valley to Cardrona Alpine Resort and Soho Ski Area was also announced earlier this month.An initiative of Blackmans Creek Holdings Limited, it was selected as one of the government’s fast-track approval projects, and includes on-mountain visitor accommodation, guest facilities, and workers' accommodation.Cardrona Alpine Resort general manager Laura Hedley said the project was being designed and developed by a third party.“With the planned opening of Soho Basin to skiers in 2025, making Cardrona New Zealand’s largest ski area, we welcome an alternative transport option to the mountain and look forward to seeing how the process progresses.”Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) approved the company’s resource consent application for Project Arcadia earlier this month.PHOTOS: Cardrona/ Supplied

A Hospitality NZ representative says a dozen restaurants in the district are likely to scrap outdoor dining as a result of fee increases, but the local council says the increases are fair.Fees for eateries’ use of public spaces for outdoor dining increased from $100/m2 to $225m2 for the Wānaka lakefront and $70/m2 to $125/m2 for other Wānaka areas when the Outdoor Dining Policy 2024 was adopted in May.Restaurants in Queenstown also faced increases, varying depending on their location, and other fees associated with outdoor dining like licences.More than five months after it was signed off, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is still being urged to reverse the decision, including by Hospitality NZ head of membership Darelle Jenkins, who said the increases were “blowing budgets out of the water”.Speaking at last week’s full council meeting, she said she represented 151 member businesses from across the district.Twelve members intended to remove outdoor dining from their eateries and another 14 were “very concerned” about the impact on business, she told councillors.Darelle also said the public “wasn’t fully informed” during consultation on the proposed increases, “regardless of what council has said about indicating fees”.A QLDC spokesperson told the Wānaka App this week that, until May, outdoor dining fees hadn’t been increased since 2005.Increases were signalled in 2019 but put on hold due to the impact of the pandemic on hospitality businesses and “the assertion that fee changes were not previously communicated is… misleading”, the spokesperson said.The fees were assessed by an independent valuer and reflect current market rates, they said.For Wānaka eatery Big Fig, the issue wasn’t that the fees were increased but the sudden, substantial jump.Co-owner Shaz Lahood said she was sent a bill for outdoor dining fees which was several thousand dollars higher than the previous year and was initially given five days to pay it.After contacting QLDC, the payment period was extended, but Shaz questioned why the fee had suddenly surged rather than a gradual year-on-year increase, which she said would have been manageable.“I don’t begrudge paying a fee; I begrudge the size of the hike. If fees haven’t been increased since 2005, why is that?” The Wānaka Business Chamber was approached for comment.PHOTO: Wānaka App

The government is moving to streamline the building consent regime by swapping out some council inspections for a self-certification scheme.Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk said the proposal was for building professionals with indemnity insurance working on low-risk projects.It would allow qualified trade professionals - including plumbers, drainlayers and builders - to sign-off on their work without needing council inspection.The changes were also expected to cover large homebuilding businesses that construct hundreds of near-identical homes a year."The building consent system is intended to protect homeowners from defective building work by requiring work to be inspected and consented by a Building Consent Authority," Penk said."But the regime is inefficient and adds cost and time to the build process, which makes it harder for Kiwis to realise their dream of homeownership. It takes on average 569 days for a home be built and consented [to] - amid a housing shortage, that is simply too long to wait."Under current legislation, building consents are issued by a building consent authority, usually a local and district council, but can also be a regional council, or private organisation.Penk said the new opt-in self-certification scheme would undergo a robust consultation process in two stages."The first is that qualified building professionals, such as plumbers, drainlayers and builders, will be able to self-certify their own work, for low-risk builds, without the need for an inspection."This brings them in line with electricians and gasfitters who can already do this and is something the industry has been calling for, for years."The second pillar is that businesses with a proven track-record - for example, group homebuilders who build hundreds of near identical homes a year - will be able to go through a more streamlined consent process."At the moment, a single-story basic home might go through 10 or more separate inspections. This is clearly too many and the cost-benefit has become unbalanced."Penk said building professionals are already subject to quality assurances like holding a practicing license, keeping records of their work and having their details in a publicly searchable database.Additional safeguards like a clear pathway for customers to remedy poor work, tougher qualification requirements for building professionals and strict disciplinary actions for careless or incompetent self-certifiers would be put in place, he said."We will make detailed policy decisions in the new year following thorough consultation, which will consider what residual role existing Building Consent Authorities should have in the self-certification scheme, for example through an auditing function."Kiwis need confidence in the safety and quality of their homes, but it's possible to do this through a more streamlined assurance pathway. We are committed to cutting through the tangle of red tape so that we can get more Kiwis into the quality homes they deserve."PHOTO: Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Anticipation has been building in Lake Hāwea during the past few weeks before the official opening of the township’s first supermarket today (Tuesday October 22).Matt and Dixie Gallaher (and their two young children) have moved to Lake Hāwea from Albert Town to manage Fresh Choice Lake Hāwea.“We’re immensely excited and proud to be fulfilling our dream of running our own business,” Matt said.“The opportunity is made even more rewarding through the incredible community and location we’ll be operating in.”He said the supermarket is employing 17 “familiar faces from the community”. “As we continue through the opening months and begin to find our footing as ‘fresh’ owners, we’ll be looking to bring local suppliers into our aisles,” he added.Fresh Choice Lake Hāwea landowner Ray MacLeod said he was “very pleased with the outcome”.He confirmed that an NRG Gym will be operating above the Bodkin Street supermarket, with a scheduled opening date of December 1.The new Fresh Choice supermarket on Bodkin Street, Lake Hāwea.Environmental Accounting Systems Ltd is also establishing a new office upstairs, he said.Ray said a 23 month average of traffic counters between Lake Hāwea and Wānaka indicated approximately 3,500 vehicles travel over the Maungawera Hill in both directions each day, with 5,700 vehicles crossing the Albert Town Bridge.He hoped the new supermarket would divert “750 return trips”, leading to “a safer road” and fewer cars on the Albert Town Bridge.The supermarket was designed and constructed by Breen Construction.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

A sustainable fashion brand founded by Wānaka designer Claire O’Connell is teaming up with fashion legend Liz Mitchell, MNZM.Precious Collaborative and Liz are working together to create a limited edition coat “worthy of an art collection”, Claire said.Proceeds from the sale of the coats will fund Precious Collaborative’s everyday sustainable collection, therefore making high-quality fashion more accessible, she said.“I’m thrilled to be part of this innovative model,” Liz, who is known for her passion for New Zealand wool, said. NZ fashion legend Liz Mitchell MNZM.“Sustainable fashion and wool are at the heart of my work, and it’s exciting to create a piece that’s not only bold and artistic but also helps make everyday sustainable fashion more accessible.” Crafted from New Zealand-made tweed, hand-spun on 100-year-old Hattersley looms by boutique weaving company McLean & Co in Oamaru, the one-of-a-kind coat will blend timeless artistry with the finest sustainable materials, the collaborators said.Claire said she was excited about working with one of her fashion heroes. “I feel a bit serendipitous having Liz work with us,” Claire said. “I’ve admired her designs, passion for wool, and ethics for so long.” “I have a fabulous design piece of hers that I’ve held onto like a family treasure, so it’s a thrill to have her believe in our vision.” The limited-edition coat will lead the charge for Precious Collaborative’s ‘one to many’ model, where high-end, collectible pieces fund a staple collection of tailored, wool and hemp streetwear. Top-tier team New Zealand fabric and garment manufacturers will bring the coat vision to life, with every piece designed and made in New Zealand, Claire said. The coat’s launch is set for December in Wānaka.PHOTOS: Supplied

Aurora Energy is commissioning a new transformer that it says will significantly increase network capacity for those living in the Upper Clutha area. The 50MVA auto transformer will be connected to the existing Upper Clutha network at the Cromwell Grid Exit Point between mid-October and mid-November, the energy company announced.There are no planned outages (therefore no planned disruptions) required as part of the work. Aurora Energy service delivery general manager Richard Starkey said the project is exciting for the area, which continues to experience high levels of growth. “The extra capacity will help future-proof the network, responding to increasing demand and giving customers confidence as we move toward a more electrified future,” he said. “As a key driver of the regional and national economy, it’s vital Upper Clutha and Wānaka have a network that can support a growing population and how people choose to use electricity now and as new technology becomes available.” Richard said the two auto transformers that currently service the area are performing well, but the demand on the network requires extra resources.Both existing 36MVA auto transformers will remain in use on top of the new 50MVA auto transformer.Design for the project began in April 2023, and civil and electrical construction began in November. The main part of the work was completed in July this year, with the groundwork and installation of the auto transformer and associated equipment. Richard said the commissioning work had been timed to happen outside of the summer and winter peaks when the load on the two existing lines is at its lowest. The work is part of Aurora Energy’s wider five-year investment programme under its Customised Price-Quality Path (CPP) to position the electricity network for the future.PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka restaurant Kika has received two ‘hats’ from the prestigious Cuisine Good Food Awards for the first time, as well as the ‘Casual Dining of Year’ title for 2024.Kika made Cuisine’s top-100 list as part of the awards in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 (the awards didn’t take place in 2020 due to Covid-19), and in 2022 and 2023 it stood out further, receiving one ‘hat’, for restaurants scoring 16 or more out of 20.The restaurant has improved again, Cuisine judges say, awarding it two hats, reserved for restaurants which are ‘consistently outstanding’.The Wānaka App asked Kika owner James Stapley how the long-running restaurant continues to improve.“We have always just done our own thing and not really followed trends too much,” James said. Kika owner James Stapley said the recognition from Cuisine was a “huge boost”.We know what we are and what we do and have a unique style that is uniquely Kika.”He said Kika provided a combination of consistent quality and “constant innovation”, with an ever-changing menu, aside from a few classic dishes that have been on the menu since the early days.Receiving the two accolades from Cuisine was “a huge boost,” James said.“It’s been a tough year in hospitality so it’s so really nice to get some good news. We are very proud of what we do but to receive two hats was just an incredible surprise.”James said he was especially pleased to receive the casual dining award as “casual is what we do”.The recognition “drives us to be better and to keep evolving”.Cuisine judges said Kika nailed “contemporary Kiwi cuisine” with an atmosphere that is “warm, inviting and lively”.They singled out Kika’s “delectable” beef tartare, “juicy, tender” lamb shoulder and “masterful” Otago cherry and chocolate pavlova as must-tries.Kika was the only Wānaka restaurant awarded hats, but other restaurants also caught the eye of Cuisine judges.Muttonbird, Paloma Taqueria, The Cow, The Cardrona Distillery, Arc Wānaka and Bistro Gentil will all be featured in Cuisine’s Good Food Guide for 2024/2025, which celebrates quality eateries around the country.PHOTO: Cuisine

Wānaka outdoor performance wear brand Mons Royale is celebrating its 15th anniversary and the opening of its new retail store in Wānaka.Mons Royale was founded by husband and wife Hamish and Hannah Acland in 2009. Over the past 15 years the brand has grown from a passion project into a global leader in Merino wool apparel and is stocked in more than 1,000 stores across the world.“We’re incredibly proud to celebrate 15 years of Mons Royale,” Hamish said.“It’s been a huge decade and a half of taking the best of New Zealand to the world and we’re excited to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation in performance wear.”Hamish, a former competitive skier, saw an opportunity in the market for high-performance and stylish merino wool-based adventure clothing.“When I was on tour I noticed that there was no modern apparel out there,” he said.“I thought it was a real gap in the market and so Hannah and I came back to New Zealand and got to work with the dream of making technical clothing that transitions from the mountain to the high street.“It’s been a huge amount of work and I can’t thank our awesome team enough for everything they’ve done for the brand. I still love seeing people walking down the street in our clothing and we’re pleased to be showcasing New Zealand wool and innovation on the world stage.”Mons Royale employs more than 40 staff and has offices in Wānaka, Innsbruck and British Columbia, with the brand just opening its fifth retail store, this one in Wānaka, where the business is headquartered.“It’s a very cool thing to create the physical manifestation of the brand when you create a retail store. We love it and we’re just starting to learn the game of retail, the next step is retail stores overseas,” Hannah said.Sustainability has also formed a key part of the Mons Royale story, with the brand obtaining B Corp certification in 2024.“As keen adventurers we’re all really passionate about sustainability,” Hannah said.“We consistently prioritise natural materials, ethical production practices, and reducing waste throughout our supply chain and we’re really pleased to have that recognised through B Corp certification.”Hamish said they feel very fortunate to do something they love."We’re just getting started and we’re excited for the next 15-years of Mons Royale,” he said.

Much higher intensity housing is a feature of the new Mt Iron Junction development plan, which has been confirmed on the government’s fast-track approvals projects list released on Sunday (October 6).Two hundred and sixty-three “high density units” are part of the Mt Iron Junction Housing Scheme project, the government said. High density units include townhouses or apartment buildings.Mt Iron Junction Ltd director and long-time Wānaka resident Steve Schikker told the Wānaka App he was “very pleased with the outcome”.“We look forward to moving through the process,” he said.Read more: Cardrona Valley ski gondola among fast-track consenting projectsAn artist’s impression of the original terraced housing planned for the junction. The plans now include 263 high density units. IMAGE: SuppliedSteve declined to provide details about the latest proposal, which was submitted to the Fast Track process, except to confirm it was “higher density than the original”.The original plan that went through the Environment Court was for a service station, a nine-unit workers’ accommodation village and 13 two-and three-bedroomed terrace houses.Steve and fellow director Peter Greene publicly announced their plans for the mixed-use development (on 6ha of unused land at the base of Wānaka’s Mt Iron, bounded by State Highways 6 and 84) in 2018.Read more: Major development proposed for Wānaka’s entrance“We envisage Mt Iron Junction to be an attractive, thoughtful and functional entrance to Wānaka – one that complements the natural environment, existing urban and commercial development, and community infrastructure, while offering the necessary facilities for future growth,” Steve said at the time.There has been a lot of water under the bridge since then, including Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) declining the original resource consent application. A compromise was reached through the Environment Court for a modified development and conditional consent was granted in April.One of the conditions specified for the development’s go-ahead was an operational roundabout adjacent to the development. Work on the Mt Iron Junction roundabout began in 2023 was officially deemed completed in July this year. Late last year came the controversial news that a McDonald’s restaurant had been proposed for the junction area. The McDonald’s proposal is due to go to a hearing panel next month.Regional development minister Shane Jones said the 149 projects chosen by Cabinet will be listed in the Fast Track Approvals Bill.“Once the bill is passed, [projects] will be able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority to have an expert panel assess the project and apply relevant conditions," he said.An expert advisory panel of the Environmental Protection Authority will assess each project and apply any relevant environmental protections.

A high-speed electric passenger lift system linking the Cardrona Valley to the Cardrona Alpine Resort and Soho ski areas is among three local projects announced in the government’s fast-track approvals projects released today (Sunday October 6).The gondola is part of a Blackmans Creek Holdings Limited project, which lists developer John Darby as the sole director. The project will establish on-mountain visitor accommodation, guest facilities, and workers' accommodation.A development to establish 263 high-density units at Mt Iron Junction, and the controversial Bendigo-Ophir gold mining project were also selected for fast-track approval.In total the government announced 149 projects nationwide.“The 149 projects selected by the government have significant regional or national benefits,” regional development minister Shane Jones said.“They will make a big difference in the regions by delivering jobs and growth and develop a pipeline of major projects to help boost the economy.“The 149 projects chosen by Cabinet ... will be listed in Schedule 2 of the Bill once [it] is reported back from the Environment Committee in mid-October. Once the Bill is passed, they will be able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority to have an expert panel assess the project and apply relevant conditions."The minister said the Fast Track Approvals Bill is a key part of the government’s plan to rebuild the economy and cut through "the red and green tape" that has made it more and more difficult to build the projects New Zealand needs.Find the list of all projects here.PHOTO: File

The Wānaka Business Chamber has announced the finalists for the 2024 Wānaka Business Excellence Awards in association with Milford Asset Management.The Chamber said the selection process has been rigorous and the finalists chosen for their outstanding achievements and commitment to excellence in their respective fields."The judging panel had the difficult task of evaluating an incredibly diverse and innovative group of businesses,” Wānaka Business Chamber general manager Glenn Peat said. “What stood out this year was the level of adaptability and forward-thinking that so many businesses demonstrated, particularly as they navigated recent economic challenges.”A revamped application and judging process, designed to make it more accessible for businesses to enter, resulted in a record number of entries.“It’s a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit here in Wānaka that we’ve seen such strong engagement with the awards,” Glenn said. “We look forward to celebrating not only the finalists but the broader business community that continues to drive our region forward."Glenn congratulated all the entrants and said he hoped the process allowed business leaders to step back from day-to-day operations and reflect on their progress.The winners of the 2024 Wānaka Business Excellence Awards will be announced at the awards gala dinner at Rippon Hall on November 9.Tickets to the awards gala dinner can be purchased here.Finalists for the 2024 Wānaka Business Excellence Awards are:Main Industry CategoriesExcellence in Customer Experience – Supported by Drive AccountingMitre 10 MEGA WānakaThe Next ChapterWastebustersExcellence in Visitor Experience – Supported by Lake Wānaka TourismBike GlendhunzbiketrailsWānaka Helicopter GroupExcellence in Trade & Industrial Sector - Supported by FindexArchitectural + Design LibraryWānaka SolarWānaka StoneExcellence in Primary & Consumer Goods – Supported by Cardrona Alpine Resort and TrebleConeBalance MeRipponSidekick SodaExcellence in Professional Services – Supported by Aspiring LawConstructive ConsultantsGreenhawk Chartered AccountantsMike Pero Mortgages Wānaka & QueenstownSchistrockmedia - The Wānaka AppSpecialist CategoriesStrategy, Innovation & Business – Supported by Batchelar McDougall ConsultingArchitectural + Design LibraryBike GlendhuFluid Visual CommunicationsBest Emerging Business Award – Supported by Air New ZealandGreen FoxnzbiketrailsEmployer of the Year – Supported by EASI NZGreenhawk Chartered AccountantsMitre 10 Mega WānakaWānaka StoneBusiness Sustainability & Environmental Impact – Supported by Queenstown Lakes District CouncilGreen FoxGreenhawk Chartered AccountantsWastebustersCommunity Contribution – Supported by Queenstown AirportFood for LoveWānaka Golf ClubWastebustersPHOTO: Bunker Street Film Co

Reform of the building consent regime will mark the beginning of a "new era for the construction industry", a developers' lobby group says.The government announced on Sunday it would be reforming the building consent system - including reducing the number of consenting authorities.It was also looking at changing who was legally responsible for payouts over defective buildings.The announcement followed proposed 'granny flat' law changes that would remove the need for consents for homes under 60sqm.Minister of Building and Construction Chris Penk said the "cumbersome" consenting system meant New Zealand had some of the "least affordable housing in the world".The system was intended to protect homeowners from defective building work, by requiring it to be inspected and consented by a Building Consent Authority (BCA).A lack of consistency in how the 67 BCAs were interpreting the building code was leading to costs and delays for builders, he said.Among the new options being considered to replace the current BCA system were:voluntary consolidation: allowing councils to pool resources for building consentsregional BCAs: establishing a smaller number of regional BCAssingle point of contact for builders to submit plans to: inspections may be contracted out to existing BCAs or private consenting providers, "creating competition and encouraging specialisation".The government was also looking at changing who was legally responsible for payouts over defective buildings."Under the current settings, councils and their ratepayers are liable for defective work," Penk said."Joint and several liability means councils can be 'the last person standing' available to foot the bill when things go wrong. This creates a highly conservative and risk-averse approach, which contributes cost and draws out deadlines."Property Council NZ chief executive Leonie Freeman. PHOTO: Richard Doran PhotographyProperty Council chief executive Leonie Freeman welcomed the changes as a "bold move", saying they would cut through red tape and deliver faster, more efficient developments."Our members, including the country's leading property developers, investors, managers and property experts, have been clear: the current consenting system is plagued by delays and inconsistencies across regions."It's hindering progress and escalating costs for projects that are crucial to meeting New Zealand's housing needs."Developers had reported wait times over two months for building consents, and up to 18 months for resource consents, she said."This creates a level of uncertainty that drives up costs, slows progress and ultimately puts home affordability further out of reach."Read more:The announcement marked "the beginning of a new era for the construction industry", and the group had been "actively engaging" with the government on the issue all year, she said in a statement."We are fully supportive of the options presented today. Faster, streamlined consents mean faster, more affordable housing, which benefits everyone," Freeman said.An advocate for owners of leaky homes said the government needs to be cautious around any re-introduction of private building consent providers.The president of home owners and buyers association, John Gray, said this was practiced in the 1990s and owners had suffered from the providers' lack of competency."It did not work then and it will not work now, unless they get competent people."And most importantly, that those private certifiers have mandatory insurance to back them for their failures."Gray said many private certifying companies went bust in the '90s because no insurers were prepared to take the risk of insuring them.'Go harder' on building reforms - ACTMeanwhile, the ACT party urged the government to "go harder" on its reforms.ACT housing, building, and construction spokesman Cameron Luxton said the government should also look at letting home builders opt out of building consents, provided they had long-term insurance for the work."That would get councils out of the way completely, for faster, more innovative, and ultimately more reliable building consents."

Central Otago locals are worried a proposed gold mine will hit industry and devastate the special - and spectacular - natural environment.Santana Minerals believes the hills between Bendigo and Ophir could hold $4.4 billion worth of gold, and started hosting community drop-in sessions this week.The company hopes to submit a fast track application in February if the new law passes, and offer 250 full time jobs living in the surrounding communities.A dirt road winds its way up the hills in Bendigo towards The Canyon at Tarras Vineyards, overlooking vineyards, farmland, the Clutha River and the Dunstan Range.Venue and vineyard owner Hayden Johnston was worried what it would mean for business to have a possible open pit gold mine as a nearby neighbour with all of the noise, lights and traffic."You're transported to a special place and industrialising that with a gold mine so close is just destruction. I'm very concerned that the reason that people enjoy being here so much will be taken away," he said.The Canyon at Tarras Vineyards owner Hayden Johnston welcomes the start of regular community drop in sessions but said they had a lot of unanswered questions.Noise travels far around the valley. He was kept awake by overnight frost fans at cherry orchards, and said the mine would be a similar distance away and likely operating continuously.He did not believe open cast mining fit with the sustainable approach local vineyards were taking, but he welcomed the start of regular drop-in sessions with Santana Minerals in Cromwell and Tarras."Their plans have not been available publicly and also the expert reports that would give us most of the answers to what are the noise levels, what are the visual impacts, what are the sounds, how is the sound going to travel, and those sorts of things, and the containment measures," Johnston said.Central Otago Winegrowers Association board member Donald van der Westhuizen said Bendigo was prime vineyard territory with strong organic production.The area is one of the most parched parcels of land in the country with the Clutha River Mata Au acting as a lifeblood for the region. He was worried about the risks of heavy metals - including arsenic - escaping from the site into the river.Central Otago Winegrowers Association board member Donald van der Westhuizen is concerned about the risks to other industries if the gold mine goes ahead.He was not sure the benefits outweighed the potential cost."Allowing an operation such as what Santana's proposing, you risk already established significant industries within the area. All of which already contribute a significant amount to the local economy and possibly even more so than the proposed mining operation," he said.Visitors were attracted to the natural beauty and their reputation for sustainability, van der Westhuizen said."Anything that poses risk to that reputation poses risk to both Central Otago winegrowers and the tourism industry."Santana Minerals has applied for the mine to be considered under the new Fast Track Approvals Bill, which is still being worked on by the government.Van der Westhuizen thought the fast track process was problematic if it took such a complex project and made a decision in about six months.Bendigo winegrower and Sustainable Tarras representative Rob van der Mark said there were a lot of questions and he was not sure they would get answers if the fast track process kicked in."We simply don't know what we will inherit long term. We don't know what kind of financial bond would be appropriate to fix whatever damage may occur in the future. How long it will take to restore the land," van der Mark said.He was not sure how the company intended to fill the jobs without taking staff from existing businesses or not exacerbating the housing shortage.Santana Minerals chief executive Damian Spring said they would be consulting with locals throughout the process.Santana Minerals chief executive Damian Spring wanted to allay their environmental concerns."Our objective is there will be no effects. That's how it works today you have to put up a proposal that you understand your geology, your environment, your hydrology, meteorology, everything. You combine it and you model it up and ensure that whatever water comes down to the monitoring point meets the quality that's required," he said.The community was generally supportive of the project with a lot of interest at a recent chamber of commerce event, he said."For exploration companies, you're really only as good as your last drill hole because all the money that you plow into the ground comes from your investors so as long as you keep growing that resource to a point where you think you've got a project, then the investors are happy to back you."They would be consulting with locals throughout the process, including if the project was fast tracked, he said."Social licence isn't a piece of paper, it's about relationships so it is getting out there and introducing ourselves in the first instance and then following up with meaningful updates to the information, addressing their concerns where we can, and just giving a level of detail - with time - they can understand what truly is our proposal."The company was starting the conversation with neighbours to give them a sense of what the project might look like and promising to share updates on what the environment was like, what the proposal would be, and how they'd mitigate the impacts on the environment, Spring said.Various studies were starting to wrap up, and he said work to understand where the best source of water that didn't impact neighbouring bores was "well advanced and we're comfortable that we've got that under control".They would have 250 full time jobs on their books in the first instance with workers living in the communities within an hours' drive of the mine site and buses to help manage worker fatigue.Cromwell resident Rochelle thought the mine could be great for the region."But we need to prioritise the infrastructure in town before anything big goes ahead because we just don't have the housing for people, we don't have the child care and the options for people to work here as well so that stuff needs to be thought about before they want to bring in a heap of people to be doing that," she said.The view towards the proposed mine site between Bendigo and Ophir.Bannockburn resident Beth doubted there was enough health care, housing and other services to cater for the additional workers."These developments really are only to line the developer's pockets. They say they're going to employ locals. My question is where are these locals currently and what jobs are they leaving in order to work on that project? The businesses that will benefit will be the supermarkets and the petrol stations," she said."Where is the infrastructure for the health support required by ... staff. If they have children, what is the capacity in the schools?"One Pisa Moorings resident, who asked not to be named, said she was on board with the mine if they did the right environmental work."It would be great to create a lot of job opportunities for people. I'd just like to see the land go back not big open mines being left open. That they are actually filled in," she said.If it gets a green light under the proposed Fast-Track Approvals Bill, the Central Otago District Council would not be the consenting authority.Instead, mayor Tim Cadogan said they would be trying to best represent the community's often polarising views on the project."We're going to have to work really hard to get those community views as best we can and to put them in a way that probably isn't taking sides but conveys to the panel, here's the things that are exciting people. Here's the things that are concerning people. Here are the impacts on us as a council as well, which is quite a significant part of this picture for us," Cadogan said.A vineyard in Bendigo.Central Otago is one of the fastest growing districts in the country, putting pressure on housing, infrastructure and services.The sheer size of the proposed mine with its 250 staff was a challenge to consider, he said.But the council would need to walk a delicate line as other big projects - including the Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme - had come to nothing."We're in a difficult position now of having to start thinking how do we cope with that while also going it might not happen and do we want to be predicting or getting ahead of what may or may not happen and what are the optics of doing that," he said.He would like a portion of the Crown minerals levy to go to councils to assist with the housing, infrastructure or other costs associated with a big project like this, saying that council's currently got nothing from a large mine opening in the district apart from some rates.Santana Minerals is working on its pre-feasibility study that will confirm the project, the layout, costs and timing.PHOTOS: RNZ / Tess Brunton

The developer of Lake Hāwea’s Longview subdivision says he is “hugely frustrated” with the information presented by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) staff to councillors last week, saying it did not reflect “real world” analysis.Universal Developments director Lane Hocking was referring to a report from council staff seeking councillors’ approval of a proposed increase - up to 60 percent - for house and land package prices in Longview.Universal Developments had asked for increases of around $300,000 for each of its packages, meaning, for example, the price of a three-bedroom house would increase from $549,000 to $849,000.The report to councillors argued that an increase of up to 60 percent was reasonable “given the increase in demand and market prices, the construction cost inflation, wider costs, the current pressure on building companies, and the significant discount on market rates”.Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust trustee Phil Smith receives 18 land titles gifted by developer Lane Hocking of Universal Developments. Lane said when he saw the council report he told staff he was frustrated.“The data that should be referenced is the building cost inflation for the life-to-date of the project. That shows my total increases over the life is less than the building cost inflation over the same period,” he said.QLDC received advice from an independent quantity surveyor, which showed cost inflation of around 25 percent between 2021 and 2023, but Lane told QLDC housing strategic planner Emily Irwin that analysis did not reflect the “real world”.Statistics NZ figures indicate that building costs in Otago have increased by 65 percent from 2018 to 2024, he said, citing raw data from Otago councils for cost per square metre.Lane said Longview’s house prices come from nine different national group homebuilders “operating in an extremely competitive environment against each other”, adding that means “one can be sure that their pricing accurately reflects the market”.  “The factors impacting pricing are clear and are unquestionably without precedent,” he said.The majority of councillors last week disagreed with the council’s proposal for a 60 percent increase in prices and instead approved a 25 percent increase (based on the building cost inflation estimated by the quantity surveyor), at councillor Cody Tucker’s recommendation. Councillors Barry Bruce, Lyal Cocks, Gavin Bartlett and mayor Glyn Lewers voted against it and the other six councillors endorsed it.Read more: Decision a win for first home buyers - councillorLane said on top of building cost inflation, he is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to “accommodate the council's failures” to provide wastewater servicing. He said the trucking of wastewater from Longview to Wānaka’s wastewater system Project Pure cost more than $400k per annum, and he expects this cost to “go significantly higher as the population grows”.Read more: ‘Poo trucks’ a surprise to community associationApproximately eight loads of waste are being trucked each week and QLDC confirmed to the Wānaka App earlier this year that it will continue as the subdivision develops, because of the limitation of capacity of the Hāwea Wastewater Treatment Plant.  Longview was approved under the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas (HASHA) Act 2013. Under the legislation a deed sets out affordable housing components including fixed price house and land packages, land resale conditions and restrictions on visitor accommodation.A clause in the Special Housing Area (SHA) deed provides the ability to amend the house and land packages for a limited number of reasons, including a change in building costs.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Wānaka Business Chamber general manager Glenn Peat says it’s more important than ever for locals to support local businesses.At least three businesses have either closed or announced their closure in the past few weeks.“We’re aware of some closures, including Soul Clothing, Revology, and Wānaka Interiors (retail store), but closures vary across businesses for different reasons, so it's hard to generalise,” Glenn said.“It’s difficult to say if this is a trend or an anomaly, as multiple factors like external economic pressures and consumer behaviour are at play.”Wānaka Business Chamber general manager Glenn Peat PHOTO: SuppliedGlenn said Wānaka’s retail sector, like many others across the country, has faced challenges due to changing economic conditions. Some retail businesses are adapting to the conditions and there is still “resilience” in the sector.“Several businesses [are] adapting through strategies like expanding their online presence, collaborating with other local businesses, and offering exclusive local products to attract both locals and visitors.”“We do empathise with the challenges retail businesses face, both here in Wānaka and across the country, and encourage everyone to support local where possible,” he said.“It’s now more important than ever for our community to support local businesses to help keep our town vibrant.”

It’s not as bad as a pub with no beer, but a supermarket with no alcohol for sale will be the case for nine spots around Otago next month - including Wānaka.Affected New World supermarkets will comply with a ruling to stop selling alcohol for 48 hours next month, as a result of an advertising breach.New World Wānaka is one of nine Otago supermarkets to be banned from selling alcohol after advertising a discount for DB Export 24 packs of beer.The online advertisement said the beer would be discounted by 26.1 percent for customers with a loyalty card, breaching the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, which says it is an offence to promote or advertise discounts on alcohol of 25 percent or more.A Foodstuffs spokesperson told the Wānaka App that the restriction, imposed by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (Arla), will be in place for New World Wānaka from 7am on Tuesday October 8 for 48 hours.“Foodstuffs South Island and its stores take their responsibility for the safe advertising, sale, and supply of alcohol very seriously,” the spokesperson said.They said the discount rate advertised was caused by an “inadvertent process failure”.“Since then, we’ve implemented stricter processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”While the supermarkets had argued against the booze ban because it would cause financial loss, Foodstuffs told the Wānaka App today (September 17) that it accepted the ruling.“We fully respect the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority’s process, and all affected New World stores will comply with the ruling,” Foodstuffs said.PHOTO: Supplied