Queenstown Lakes is the fastest growing district in New Zealand, and growth projections released by the council have suggested Wanaka could have 6000 more residents within the next 20 years.

The district’s recent boom is likely to have been driven by an increase in visitors, technology and more flights providing opportunities for national businesses to be based in the district, and the district being a very desirable place to live, the council said.  

The projections suggest an increase for the Wanaka Ward from 12,320 residents in 2018 to 18,300 in 2028, and 24,300 in 2048. Total visitors on an average day in 2018 are projected to grow to 10,130 in 2028 and 11,810 in 2048.

District wide, those figures increase to 56,400 residents (up from 36,500 now) in 2028 and 74,400 in 2048.

The population projections take into account national data from Statistics NZ, migration and tourism numbers, building and resource consent data, analysis on existing zoned capacity and a review of development trends. They are based on a ‘business as usual’ model and do not assume any constraints or intervention in the market.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) said it has spent “considerable time and effort” developing comprehensive growth projections to assist with future planning.

The population projections, which estimate average day and peak day population figures for the communities in the district from 2018-2048, were published on the QLDC website last week.

The projections will be updated and released to the public twice a year, in June and December, said QLDC policy and performance manager Anita Vanstone, who has overseen the data gathering process.

“Having access to this information more frequently will be extremely useful in future planning – not only for QLDC and other government bodies and ministries but for business owners who want to pre-empt periods of particularly high demand,” Anita said.

QLDC chief executive Mike Theelen said the revised predictions reinforced the value of the council’s ongoing efforts to look at alternative funding mechanisms such as a visitor levy.

“These figures reflect the challenges our district is facing more clearly than previous numbers, and it’s easy to see the demand that this places on the services and infrastructure council and other agencies provide,” Mike said.

Check out the projections here.

PHOTO: Wanaka App