Queenstown Housing Development Approved Through Fast-Track Process

RCL Homestead Bay Limited received fast-track approval to construct 2,800 residential homes and a commercial retail precinct in Queenstown. The application, lodged in June 2025, has now been approved by an independent panel.

Approval for this project took around six months from the panel's appointment. The project is estimated to contribute $720.3 million to GDP and support around 4,420 jobs during construction.

Over the last two decades, Queenstown Lakes has become one of the most expensive districts in New Zealand to buy a home, having the highest median sale price in the country in January 2026. Rental prices have also continued to rise in this time. The median sales price in Queenstown is around $1,000,000 higher than the rest of New Zealand. The supply of more affordable homes has not kept up with growth. This means long-term residents and temporary workers struggle to find affordable homes.

The development has been designed to minimise pressure on existing infrastructure. The panel found the project's infrastructure approach, including independent wastewater systems was adequate, and could, in future integrate with the council's wastewater network.

The development had been criticised by some submitters who raised issues around landscape, wastewater and roading.

This is the 10th project to be approved through Fast-track. As of the approval, 10 projects have been approved by expert panels, 19 projects are before panels for consideration, 149 projects are listed in Schedule 2 of the Fast-track Approvals Act, 49 projects are currently progressing through the Fast-track process, and 28 projects have been referred to Fast-track by the Infrastructure Minister.

Fast-track projects approved by expert panels include Homestead Bay, Bledisloe North Wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension, Drury Metropolitan Centre – Consolidated Stages 1 and 2, Drury Quarry Expansion – Sutton Block, Kings Quarry Expansion – Stages 2 and 3, Maitahi Village, Milldale – Stages 4C and 10 to 13, Rangitoopuni, Tekapo Power Scheme – Applications for Replacement Resource Consents, and Waihi North.