Council Accepts Intensification Variation: A Significant Win for Arrowtown Community

A milestone has been reached on the proposed Urban Intensification Variation to the Queenstown Lakes Proposed District Plan, with the Council voting to accept the recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel.

Todd Walker committed to supporting the large number of Arrowtown residents who opposed the significant height and density changes proposed to the township. These changes would have seen taller, multiple storey buildings throughout the village, affecting the landscape, heritage, and amenity values enjoyed by the Arrowtown community and many visitors to the town. Along with generous inputs from other experts – including Blakely Wallace Associates and Heike Lutz of BCon Consultants Ltd – and the tireless work of Mark Hosie as convenor of the Friend of Arrowtown Village, Todd Walker provided pro bono legal assistance throughout the plan variation process.

We are delighted to see that the Panel recommended a significant reduction to what was initially proposed by the Council, and that they accepted many of the legal arguments our team put forward in relation to justifications for Arrowtown-specific development rules.

The Urban Intensification Variation applies across the urban areas of the entire Queenstown Lakes District and will enable changes to development within our District. Any appeals must be lodged within 30 working days from the date the decision is publicly notified.

Get in touch with our resource management team at enquiries@toddwalker.com or +64 (03) 441 2743 to find out more.