Asked by the Wanaka Sun on Wednesday to comment on Woolworths NZ’s bid to build a large scale supermarket at his Three Parks subdivision, Mr Dippie replied “there’s quite a line up of new retailers and service businesses coming”.
He felt one of the most “exciting” buildings would be the “Fitgym” building near the Warehouse and Smiths City.
This was a complex development over several floors and would include a 1000sqm gym on the first floor. The building would also include retail, offices and cafes.
Woolworths would be across the road next to Mitre 10, which would also open up chances for mid-size retailers wanting between a 400-600 sqm footprint, “one step down from a big box”, Mr Dippie said.
He was also excited about incoming developments at the Ballantyne Rd end of Sir Tim Wallis Dr, where real estate agents, lawyers, and a pilates gym have already opened up.
“Roa, of course, is still wanting to do its medical development and we are wishing them well with that,” he said of private plans to build a hospital in Three Parks, which along with other hospital proposals around the country, recently missed out on being selected by the Government for its fast-track list.
Asked if there would be any space left for a future performing arts centre, which was left out of the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s 10-year plan this year, Mr Dippie — also a trustee on the Wānaka Arts and Culture Charitable Trust — said “that would be a lovely project” and he had not given up on it.
“That would have gone next to the rec centre because it could use the same car park,” he said.
Mr Dippie agreed Wanaka was “in its own bubble” when it came to the economy.
“Wanaka is still growing pretty rapidly and is now on the to-do list for nationwide businesses — some are international, or Australia-New Zealand based. A lot are really starting to think Wanaka is on the map.
“Once their competitors come here, others do. It is a chain reaction really,” he said.
Mr Dippie proposed Three Parks in 2002, during consultation for the Wanaka 2020 plan.
It took until 2011 to get resource consent and more years to complete infrastructure before buildings could go up.
“We are have just been patient. We know Wanaka, and it wants to do things slowly and carefully,” he said.
