Queenstown Smart Growth Initiative
We believe growth in the Wakatipu Basin must be well-planned and in the right locations. We are a community-led initiative engaged in ensuring the Expert Panel has access to independent, credible evidence on the Ridgeburn fast-track application on Morven Ferry Road.
We need your help
We have assembled a team of independent experts across transport, planning, landscape and economics. They are ready and the evidence is being built. But expert evidence costs money and the timeline is tight.
Without $150,000 we cannot field the full team. Without the full team, the Panel hears only the developer's case — uncontested, unchallenged and unbalanced. This is the community's one opportunity to put independent evidence before the Panel. Once the window closes, it closes.
Every contribution, no matter the size, will help ensure we can present the strongest possible case on behalf of the wider Queenstown Lakes community. Donations are kept anonymous.
Donations can be made to:
Queenstown Smart Growth Initiative Inc
Account: 02-0673-0185863-000
Who We Are
The Queenstown Smart Growth Initiative (QSGI) has been formed to represent the community in response to the Ridgeburn fast-track application at 122 Morven Ferry Road, Arrow Junction.
We want to be clear about our position: there is no doubt that more homes are required for our region. The Fast-track reforms are already considering some excellent and much-needed projects in the Queenstown Lakes area, and we fully support development that is well-located and aligned with the long-term strategic growth plan for the region.
However, the careful location of that growth is crucial. Council has already enabled zoned and serviced tracts of land suited for a development of this size. This represents smart development that prioritises the needs of the wider community, both now and into the future.
Many of us are professionals in the planning, architecture, economics and engineering fields who have worked on developments ourselves. Our purpose is to coordinate expert input and present a credible, evidence-based response to the Expert Panel on behalf of the wider Queenstown Lakes community.
What is Ridgeburn?
The Ridgeburn Fast-track application seeks to build 1,242 residential lots alongside a 7,200m² commercial precinct, 6,000m² of worker and visitor accommodation, on 212 hectares of land. The site sits 10km from Frankton and 5km from Arrowtown, with no connection to existing infrastructure networks and no access to public transport.
The development would concentrate approximately 25% more units in a single location than the total number of houses currently in Arrowtown. The land in question is currently Rural Amenity zoned and Outstanding Natural Feature land, and does not sit within the area QLDC has earmarked for growth within their district plan.
The application seeks to progress outside of the usual local council planning processes through the Government's Fast-track legislation.
Comparison images Arrowtown boundary and Ridgeburn.
What impact will Ridgeburn have on the area?
The full extent of the impacts are still being explored. Initial concerns include:
The land is Rural Amenity zoned and Outstanding Natural Feature land, specifically designated to prevent urban sprawl and protect high-value landscapes.
The development undermines the integrity of QLDC's Spatial Plan, setting a concerning precedent for rural development across the basin.
Sewage disposal is proposed on surrounding land, 150m from the Kawarau River.
The absence of public transport means all residents would be reliant on private vehicles for access to employment, schooling and healthcare.
An estimated 8,000 vehicle movements per day would place enormous additional pressure on roads already operating at capacity, pushing further traffic toward Ladies Mile and the two-lane Shotover Bridge.
The development would impact bike trails currently using Arrow Junction Road for access.
Queenstown's tourism industry is worth $2.8 billion annually, and visitor feedback already identifies traffic congestion as the single biggest negative in the visitor experience. Development on Outstanding Natural Landscape zoned land puts that economy at risk, not just for residents, but for the entire region.
We believe this development has the potential to set an alarming precedent not only for our area but for New Zealand as a whole. Because of this, we are committed to ensuring the strongest possible case is put before the Expert Panel.
What is Fast-track?
The Fast-track process is a new government mechanism designed to expedite approvals for large projects deemed to have significant economic benefits. In this instance, it allows the project to progress outside of the usual local council planning processes and public consultation that normally apply under the Resource Management Act.
While the Government has indicated that Fast-track will reduce red tape and boost the economy, it also reduces transparency and public input, with the primary consideration being economic benefit rather than alignment with local planning strategy.
Fast-track shifts decision-making from local hands to central government, raising important questions about who decides what gets built, and where.
Who can have a say in Fast-track applications?
There is no open public submission stage in the Fast-track process. Only certain groups are invited to provide comment, including local and regional councils, iwi, government bodies such as NZTA and DOC, and direct or adjacent neighbours.
The final decision will be made by an Expert Panel and ministers. The Expert Panel is selected by the panel convener and will be composed of four individuals, three of whom are not required to be from the local area.
Despite projects like Ridgeburn having significant impacts on the wider community, the public is not given a direct opportunity to participate in the application process. However, we will do everything we can to ensure the community voice is heard.
Our role in the process?
Challenging a fast-track application requires time, expertise, resources and a united community response. The Queenstown Smart Growth Initiative is committed to gathering clear, credible evidence to understand the true impacts a development of this size would have on our region. Preparing this type of evidence-based response requires significant investment, and is not something individuals can reasonably be expected to do alone.
The consequences of inadequate evidence are already clear. At the Homestead Bay fast-track application, NZTA advised it did not have sufficient time to respond at the level required, and the Panel placed full weight on the applicant's uncontested transport evidence. QSGI exists to ensure this does not happen with Ridgeburn. While the window for input in the Fast-track process is extremely limited, every person who joins and every contribution made strengthens our ability to respond effectively.