Wanaka residents are being urged to take a few minutes to check out their future.

The Wanaka Structure Plan is on display at the Wanaka Library, where comment forms are available.  The closing date for comments is 5 pm on Friday 1 October and these can either be put in the box at the library or e-mailed through to CivicCorp Policy Planner, Alyson Schuler at alyson.schuler@civivccorp.co.nz.

"This is an important opportunity to receive some further community feedback in the form of informal comments," Queenstown Lakes District Council strategy and planning manager Vicki Jones said.

In 2002 the Wanaka 2020 process gave the Council clear direction that the Wanaka community wanted three key things:

• To preserve the character of Wanaka.
• To ensure that future growth demands are met.
• To contain growth within the river boundaries and ensure that this is developed in an orderly way.
• Public planning sessions with a team of planners and urban designers were held at Wanaka in May and June with strong attendance from the Wanaka community.

"I think it is critical, even if Wanaka residents have not been involved in the process to date, that as many of the residents as possible view the plan and give us feedback," Ms Jones said.

The structure plan presentation effectively signalled the completion of part one of the project with implementation of the plan being the next major step, which will very likely involve notifying a series of plan changes starting in November 2004.

"Once we have assessed the feedback the next part of the process will be to refine the structure plan into an actual zone map and from there, amongst other tasks, draft the associated district plan rules," Ms Jones said.

ENDS

For further information please contact Vicki Jones 441 0499.

By: Kiri