Wānaka private hospital and health precinct gets resource consent

The Wānaka Health Precinct joint venture between Roa and Kā Rūnaka (represented by Puketeraki Ltd and Ōtākou Ltd) has achieved a major milestone with the granting of resource consent approval from Queenstown Lakes District Council.

QLDC has used discretionary powers available to it to grant the consent, without the need for a hearing, following a public notification process where all submissions received were supportive.

The consent is for a five-level surgical hospital and helipad, supported by four purpose-designed office buildings for allied medical services, and on-site car parking.

Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki Chair Matapura Ellison welcomed the news on behalf of Kā Rūnaka.

“The critical lack of health and social infrastructure is a significant and growing issue for the people of Wānaka and Central Otago. This project is vital to meeting the future needs of this area’s rapidly growing population and we look forward to advancing the project, including the wider interests of mana whenua.”

Welcoming the consent as a big step forward for the project, Roa CEO Mike Saegers said that despite recent commentary about the strength of the southern economy it can be difficult for those outside the region to fully understand the dynamics at play in the area. 

“Wānaka is already growing at a faster rate than Queenstown. We have an abundance of flat developable land and none of the infrastructure challenges overwhelming Queenstown.

“When you combine the unmet demand for regional healthcare services and the space to master plan an entire health precinct from the ground up with the attractiveness of Wānaka as a place to live, work and play in a post Covid world the opportunities are enormous.

“We’re already attracting medical specialties and services to the precinct that locals currently have to travel hours to access. The Wānaka Health Precinct is going to be a real game changer for the region not just for healthcare but also as a broader economic accelerator.”