A proposed Plan Change for Cardrona is the direct result of community feedback, Queenstown Lakes District Council Senior Policy Analyst Gemma Davis said.

"At a workshop in 2003 the Cardrona community identified that the development of an existing 17 hectare zone at the base of the Cardrona Ski Area could create some significant negative effects given that the District Plan currently allows it to be developed with no minimum lot size and buildings up to 12 metres in height," Ms Davis said.

The Council approached the landowner, Mount Cardrona Station, late last year with the idea of initiating a Plan Change to relocate the zone to a terrace above the Cardrona Valley Road.

"Since that time, the Council has been working with the landowner in order to work through the Plan Change process, including initiating reports on landscape effects, urban design issues, archaeological and ecological values, and servicing issues," Ms Davis said.

All of the information gained from the reports and some initial consultation had enabled the Plan Change team to start establishing boundaries for the new zone, identify areas that should be protected, and consider what sort of development should be created.

Current concepts for the proposed new zone would allow for a mixture of high and low density development on around 23 hectares of land with over 100 hectares retained for green space and pedestrian linkages.

"A draft discussion document was presented to, and adopted by the Strategy Committee today, and the next step is to begin consultation with the community to gain feedback on the concepts being put forward," Ms Davis said. The discussion document is now widely available on the Council?s website, and at Council offices from tomorrow.

"We will also make some copies available at the Cardrona Hotel. I recommend the community looks through the document and then takes the opportunity to attend the public open day," she said.

The open day would be held on Friday 8 December at the woolshed on Mount Cardrona Station between 4 and 6pm. "This will be attended by councillors, council staff, the landowners and the project team who can answer any of your questions. We encourage anyone interested in the future of Cardrona to attend," Ms Davis said.

All comment on the proposed Plan Change discussion paper should be with the council by January 25, 2007.

ENDS

For further information please contact Gemma Davis 03 441 0499.

By: Sarah