Te Tapuae Southern Corridor

Our draft Structure Plan for Te Tapuae Southern Corridor sets out ways we plan to address a variety of challenges and opportunities in the area, with key focus areas being transport, housing, three waters, social and community spaces, parks and reserves, and business opportunities available in the area. It has been a carefully considered process evolving over several years, and has been informed by technical assessments, and public and targeted stakeholder engagement sessions.

By developing a structure plan that respects and enhances Te Tapuae’s physical, environmental and cultural assets, we can help deliver this vision.

What is a structure plan?

A Structure Plan is a 30-year roadmap to guide how an area grows — from where homes, shops, and parks go, to how people get around and where key services are placed and staged. By guiding the placement of essential infrastructure and services, structure planning ensures new communities develop in a well-functioning, cohesive, and sustainable way. It doesn’t change zoning, but it sets the direction for future development.

Why does Te Tapuae Southern Corridor need a structure plan?

Te Tapuae Southern Corridor covers approximately 1300 hectares of land south of Kawarau River, around areas like Hanley’s Farm, Jack’s Point, and Homestead Bay. Identified as one of six Priority Development Areas in the Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan, Te Tapuae Southern Corridor could support up to a total of 9,300 houses, which highlights how important development in this space will be for the future of the Whakatipu Basin and the wider district.

The area is growing quicky, and while development has been taking place there for many years now, it has increased significantly in the last five. In this short time, population in Te Tapuae Southern Corridor has grown by 260% to 3,840 residents.

This growth is likely to continue, regardless of whether we have a plan in place. If we want to ensure neighbourhoods are designed in the best possible way for our communities, a structure plan for the entire corridor is essential.

That's why it’s important we prepare for the future and ensure Te Tapuae Southern Corridor is developed in a way that meets the needs of the whole community, all while protecting what makes this place special. This includes having plans in place for how we’ll address increasing traffic movements in the area, more housing choice, three waters infrastructure, access to shopping, businesses and community facilities (such as new schools, healthcare, and reserves), and safe transport options.

To shape a plan that works for everyone, we started by refining outcomes of the Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan and other local, regional and national guidelines and considering community feedback to create objectives for the draft Structure Plan for Te Tapuae Southern Corridor, including:

1. Consolidated growth and more housing choice
2. Public transport, walking, and cycling is the preferred option for daily travel
3. Well-designed neighbourhoods that provide for everyday needs
4. A diverse economy where everyone can thrive and a sustainable tourism system
5. Integrate Kāi Tahi values within Te Tapuae Southern Corridor
6. Integrate QEII Trust land values within Te Tapuae Southern Corridor
7. Staging of development

We then looked at:

• What’s already in the area – existing homes, services and facilities, and infrastructure.
• What could limit development –natural hazards, environmental protection, and landscape and cultural values.
• What the community wants – based on public feedback and local aspirations.

After that, we explored how different housing types and densities would impact the need for:

• Schools, parks, and community facilities
• Shops and business areas
• Public transport and infrastructure (like water supply and wastewater)

The plan also reflects Kāi Tahu values and aims for strong environmental and ecological outcomes.

All of this has been carefully balanced to deliver a draft Structure Plan that supports:

• Protection of the environment
• More housing choice
• Better access to services and facilities (such as active travel networks, schools, and parks)
• Alternative transport options

We'll upload the draft Structure Plan and supporting documents here on Monday 16 June 2025.

We would like to hear your feedback on the draft Structure Plan for Te Tapuae Southern Corridor, and if we’ve identified what’s needed to ensure the area grows well for a thriving, well-connected community capable of delivering thousands of homes over the long term.

What have we got right? What are we missing? Is there something we need to consider to ensure Te Tapuae Southern Corridor continues to be a great place to live?

Jump online at https://letstalk.qldc.govt.nz/te-tapuae-southern-corridor to read a breakdown of the different constraints affecting Te Tapuae Southern Corridor and the many different ways we plan to address these challenges and opportunities, and then share your thoughts!

Feedback must be received digitally or in writing by Sunday 20 July 2025.

After we've taken community feedback, we’ll review and incorporate it into a final Structure Plan for Te Tapuae Southern Corridor, before Council considers its formal adoption in September 2025.

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