HCA's Written Submission on the Spatial Plan
On behalf of - Hāwea Community Association Inc
By Cherilyn Walthew – Chair
Chairperson@Haweadistrict.co.nz / 021 665 013
Submission to QLDC - 2021 – Spatial Plan
We would like to speak at the hearing regarding:
The Spatial Plan
Overview of the Hāwea Community Association Inc. (HCA)
The Hāwea Community Association represents the residents of the Hāwea District including the Lake Hāwea town settlement, residents through to The Neck (Manuhaea), John Creek, Hāwea Flat and Maungawera.
The population is the second largest settlement in the Upper Clutha/Mataau.
The HCA holds regular Public Meetings to consult with the residents three times a year in January, May, and October.
Executive committee meetings are consistently held on the third Tuesday of the Month and QLDC are well represented at these meetings with delegates including a QLDC elected member (Niamh Shaw), a WCB elected member (Jude Battson) and a Council Corporate representative (Jess Garrett).
1. Introduction
1.1. We commend the Council on the splendid read that is the “Draft Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan” available on their website. Unfortunately, it is clear from reading the proposal for the Ten-Year Plan (TYP) that we are in no way planning for a future in line with the elements and aspirations the Spatial Plan proposal should include.
1.2. The outcome of the conversations around the development and future use of our Airports within our district are going to define how and where people will be moving to and from locations and, the level and type of infrastructure we will require to facilitate this. It is absolutely lunacy to suggest that we can prepare a realistic Spatial Plan until such time as the conversation around Airports is concluded.
1.3. The Goals, Principles, Outcomes and Strategies all appear to be fine aspirations, however, do not reflect the reality of current Council priorities or future planning.
2. Town Planning
2.1. Hāwea has been identified as a “priority development area” (p5). The map on page 7 shows lands south of Cemetery Rd earmarked for future urban growth. It also shows a “Town” centred around Cemetery road.
2.2. We attach the map below with annotations.
2.3. We have no doubt that the Developer who speculatively bought a piece of rural-zoned land and then managed to force through a development consent against the Community’s wishes, will be absolutely delighted with this map.
2.4. The current SHA development has no current solution to the existing sewage issue for their Longview development beyond temporarily trucking waste out.
2.5. The Spatial Plan Community Engagement summary document generated from the Spatial Plan workshop in Hāwea at the end of 2020, contains nothing to justify this assumption of further development around this area.
2.6. Hāwea has been consistent with its feedback to Council for the last 20 years about the way we would like to see our settlement develop and this appears to have fallen on deaf ears, once again.
3. Meeting the “Spatial Elements” of the Plan
3.1. Contrary to the Spatial Elements (Pg. 4) this proposal for Hāwea;
3.1.1. Does not encourage “increasing density in appropriate locations” it is encouraging “urban sprawl”.
3.1.2. It is not “ensuring land use is concentrated. Mixed and integrated with transport”.
3.1.3. It is not “creating well connected neighbours for health communities”. It implies two town centres in Hāwea which is contrary to the principles of Whaiora/Grow Well: and,
3.1.4. This proposal is not “sustainable”. For example, this will increase Hāwea’s carbon emissions in direct conflict with the Council’s own Climate Action Plan.
4. Transport
4.1. The Vision of Public Transport is just that, a vision.
4.2. There is no provision for the National Policy Statement – Urban Development to remove all parking requirements from the District Plan. Whilst we do not expect the parking spaces to disappear overnight, we are expecting the number of central Wānaka workers based in Hāwea, to increase dramatically in the next 1-3 years. (Based on current development timescales for houses to be built in pre-consented areas of Hāwea, including outside the existing Urban Growth Boundary.)
4.3. It is argued in the detailed Spatial Plan that “confirming the ability to provide quality public transport is a prerequisite for Hāwea to expand” and yet no provision has been made by the TYP for public transport. It would appear that Council prefers the option of investing in roading projects in the Whakatipu because they can access Central Government money for the first stage. This project will tie us into a 3 Stage project that fails to give any insight into how that third stage will be funded, let alone considering it within the current TYP.
4.4. All the information that the HCA has received on the matter of Public Transport including the Council’s own TYP proposal, indicates that public transport to Albert Town and Wanaka will a long way in the future, if ever.
4.5. The HCA acknowledges there are cycle trails between the Flat and the Lake Township and along the Hāwea River through to Albert Town and beyond. We also note that Winter hours would impact on the suitability of these tracks along with a realistic travel time of 1.5 hours each way from Hāwea to Wānaka, versus a 15–20-minute drive.
4.6. Essentially, cycling from Hāwea to Wanaka is a leisure pursuit probably not suitable in most instances for work or, accessing essential services.
4.7. The HCA has been consistent in its requests to QLDC to provide local road traffic studies since December 2020. This was specifically requested so the HCA could review the expected increase of vehicles in relation to the large number of building consents the Council has already agreed and, how this might affect our roads. Currently the HCA is being asked to sign off on behalf of the community on a half million-dollar roundabout that may not be suitable in 10 years’ time and, a design from which nothing can be salvaged, in the event in requires upgrading.
4.8. Requests for roading and traffic information has not been forthcoming from QLDC and indicates that no work has been undertaken by Council to look at the viability of such unrestrained expansion in a township that is removed from virtually every essential service outside of early childhood and primary education.
4.9. We do note that in addition to early education services, there is access to a library in the Lake township. Thank you, we would like to keep it, please. This no doubt will help contribute to reducing unnecessary trips into town.
4.10. Unless there is a concerted effort by Council to change public behaviour and provide convenient alternatives to driving, the number of vehicles on the road between Hāwea and Wanaka will undoubtedly increase and shows no sign of relenting, due to a lack of Council planning, initiatives, and priority for the Hāwea Community.
4.11. In the absence of a Public Transport system, we recommend that the Council develop a Parking and Travel Demand Management Strategy for all new and current developments. Going forward, this should be included as a condition of consent. 4.12. A Travel Management Strategy could include:
4.12.1. Develop a Cycling/Active mode Strategy to support Business Cases – include active travel targets and detail the provision of cycling/active mode infrastructure across the district (including shower and storage facilities and secure parking)
4.12.2. Incentivise and promote carpooling (T3 lanes and cheaper or more centrally located parking) and work with Police to manage/enforce the system.
4.12.3. More and better education for the community and developers e.g.: promote car sharing; assist developers to develop Parking and Travel Demand Management Strategies for their developments; provide the ‘know how’ for new developments to operate ride share schemes i.e., make it easy so the wheel does not need to be reinvented.
4.12.4. Fund Community Associations to develop local solutions including Community Travel Plans including local ride share/car-pool groups and systems.
4.12.5. Develop a plan (including DP rule changes?) to assist businesses to maximise the use of, and return on, their existing parking facilities e.g., consider how to assist Visitor Activity facilities to rent some of their spaces during the day or in off peak periods.
5. Outcomes for Whaiora
5.1. Urban Development
5.1.1. The Hāwea Community has been frequently told that we must do our bit for the community and district by providing space for housing our population. The Spatial Plan requires us to plan for the next 30 years, and the Community has been very vocal with feedback to the Council on this matter.
5.1.2. The HCA advocated in the recent review of the District Plan, to rezone the Lake Hāwea Town settlement to Low Density which according to the Market Economics report commissioned by QLDC in August 2019, identified that by doing so would ensure there was more than sufficient growth to cater for the next 30 years, without expanding the Urban Growth Boundary.
5.1.3. Despite this, Council recommended a proposal to the then Associate Housing Minister, to proceed with a SHA, against the communities wishes and in spite of the huge infrastructure deficit.
5.1.4. To further indicate additional new development in Lake Hāwea on the Consultation map for this Spatial Plan proposal, is a further slap in the face to the very concept of “Whaiora” and needs to be urgently reviewed.
5.1.5. The immediate addition of another 470 properties to town services in addition to the rezoning of the current settlement further exacerbates the infrastructure deficit that Hāwea is already experiencing around three waters and roads.
5.2. Transport
5.2.1. In order to meet with the aspirations of the Climate Action Plan, Council will need to prioritise funding for active transport (now) – specifically, new, and better trails with excellent connectivity. To achieve a shift in behaviour, the connections need to be in place (piecemeal construction will not achieve results)
5.2.2. Provide attractive private car alternatives for both winter and summer (and all weather) conditions e.g., heated seats for bus shelters, end of trip facilities, covered bike parking, lockers for wet gear, trails that do not become slippery in icy conditions, bike racks on buses etc. 5.2.3. Identify and secure space now for Public Transport and active transport hubs.
5.2.4. Construct safe crossings of main roads and highways in the right places to make active transport safe and convenient for all people.
5.2.5. Bigger spaces for pedestrians and other active modes. N.B. trails should be built to cater for utility bikes and to ensure safe sharing of spaces.
5.2.6. Provide a variety of bike/scooter parking facilities in safe locations and including covered, lockable, under surveillance, well lit, adjacent to bus stops etc N.B. Also, via planning rules
5.2.7. Convert street side car parks into bike/scooter parks (see Waka Kotahi Guidance)
5.2.8. Provide drop-off zones adjacent to bus stops and in central locations to encourage car-pooling, vehicle share.
5.2.9. Review the location of yellow lines across the district in light of the NPS-UD and consider new locations where roadside parking might need to be prohibited to protect alternative transport modes (including the small communities) Protect Public Transport routes.
5.2.10. Provide centralised (paid) carparking with EV charging infrastructure - in commercial and residential areas. 5.2.11. Operate/enable/subsidise electric car share (booking) schemes.
5.3. Land Use
5.3.1. “Over the past 30 years, the Queenstown Lakes has grown steadily from 15,000 to 42,000, alongside significant growth in the visitors to the area. This growth has been driven by the attractive scenery and climate, clean environment, outdoor lifestyle, strong economic opportunities and improved national and international connectivity.” Pg. 3 Draft Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan Summary.
5.3.2. This statement would indicate that the majority of our residents move to the area because of its outstanding natural beauty and active lifestyles. Therefore, it is imperative that any initiatives generated by the Spatial Plan, reflect these values.
5.3.3. Not enough work has been done by Council in relation to consulting with the community on a “Spatial” plan and land use. Until such time as the public discussion around Airports occurs and, is concluded one way or, the other, we cannot realistically or accurately predict the needs of our district. Until then, no one can be honest about what the vision for 2050 in the QLDC district will be and, how this will really look.
5.3.4. The QLDC Spatial Plan Workshop held in Hāwea in October 2020 indicated that the preference for Hāwea remained in line with previous consultations with our community; to densify existing urban areas rather than support developments that encouraged urban sprawl. This was driven by the desire to reduce rate increases by concentrating township infrastructure. This also reduces maintenance costs and is less at risk of failure thereby, helping to protect our environment from issues such as, discharges into the waterways.
5.3.5. It is imperative that Council take more responsibility for the overseeing of engineering projects for residential developments, to ensure that mistakes that allow urban pollution into the waterways, do not continue to occur. An example of a failure in this area is the new Alpha Series development in Wanaka adjacent to the Bullock Creek spring. Questions have been raised as to whether this land was indeed suitable for development in the first place, given the risks of stormwater runoff to the creek and the subsequent engineering failure to prevent this.
5.3.6. Hāwea also identified the need to ensure food producing land is protected whilst allowing good interconnectivity between settlements. The area currently identified for further urban growth around the SHA was one such area, however, according to the map above, has been earmarked for housing. Whilst there is an argument that the soil here is low-quality, we would argue that this is as a result of years of stripping out nutrients and can and should be regenerated for food production as part of the resilience programme for self-sustainability within our communities.
5.3.7. We can see no evidence of any connectivity routes from Hāwea through to Luggate as was identified at the Hāwea workshop. Many of our residents regularly take this route to and from workplaces outside of Wanaka and this is only likely to increase with developments in the Luggate region where there is already a light industrial use of land and a township highlighted on your plan presumably, to support the expanding and continual urban growth in the settlement. The addition of a film studio at Corbridge is also likely to increase traffic in this direction.
5.3.8. Industrial, Commercial and Retail land opportunities should also be clearly identified, outlined, and protected within the Spatial Plan, in line with the needs of our communities. These should be fit for the purposes of providing services and centralised work areas that can be effectively connected through some of the transport initiatives suggested above in point 5.2.
5.3.9. It should be clear to residential property owners what type of activities will be allowed in their area, prior to their purchase of the property.
6. Summary
6.1. The HCA recommends the current Spatial Plan process is halted until the answers to the developments around Airport services can be concluded. The alternative outcomes to this discussion will have a significant impact on how and what we plan for our future. By pursuing an outcome for the Spatial Plan process without addressing the issue of the Airports, the Council is simply wasting our money.
6.2. Infrastructure is a vital component for the Spatial Plan yet the current QLDC’s proposal for the Ten-Year Plan makes stunning assumptions around how this infrastructure will be implemented based on development policies that fly in the face of the Climate Action Plan and “thriving people” aspirations. Additionally, the outcome of the Airport discussion will provide an indication of likely future capacity needs and, locations. Something we should be planning for, now.
6.3. Once we have established “how” and “what” our land will be used for, then we can look at our aspirations around transport and connectivity based on the need to ensure people have access to work and economic activity areas, depending on where exactly those locations will be. 6.4. Land use reviews and risks will also help identify whether we need to diversify our economic industry and, what opportunities and resources are available in the district to drive job creation. Again, this is likely to be significantly affected by the outcome of the Airport discussions.
