Public comment sought for revised depot plans

Revised plans for a proposed depot in the Queenstown Gardens are now available for public comment Queenstown Lakes District Council community services general manager Paul Wilson said.

In February 2008 the Queenstown Lakes District Council gave its approval for the construction of a new maintenance depot in the gardens to house Council staff employed in the maintenance of the Queenstown Gardens and other gardens maintained by the council. Funding was included in the 2008/09 Annual Plan.

The Council decided not to progress with a plan to build a larger depot earlier this month, which would have required a new designation.

“Under the existing designation the council is able to construct buildings no greater than 100 square metres on the site, next to the ice skating rink,” Mr Wilson said.

The facilities proposed in the revised plans included; an office, washroom, store, staff room, garaging, potting shed, tool store and open bays.

“Once completed it would mean we could remove the existing maintenance buildings and revert that space to general garden area,’ Mr Wilson said.

Concern that the depot would be put to industrial use was unfounded.

“It’s for gardeners and town custodians. The horticultural team is also our pollution first response team and our rural fire fighting team. It makes sense to store the rural fire fighting trailer and the pollution trailer with the team that is using it,” Mr Wilson said.

To allay concerns Mr Wilson would hold an open day at the gardens on Saturday (25 October) to show the layout of the proposed depot and the tools and equipment that would be stored and used in it.

The council wanted public feedback on three proposed options.

“The difference is effectively around the positioning of the buildings and roofline,” Mr Wilson said.

The plans and an information document were available on the council website and in the Queenstown council foyer.

Comment on the proposal should be with the council by 5 November.