Ladies Mile house to be demolished
Work begins on Monday to demolish 516 Ladies Mile.
The house and land were bought for $13.8 million back in 2019 by Queenstown Lakes District Council.
The purchase was more about the 14.6 hectares of land than the former Walker family home, as flat Ladies Mile has been identified as one of the key areas for residential development in Queenstown Lakes.
QLDC snapped up the property with a view to giving enough space for community facilities and recreational space, as landowners looked to develop their own surrounding parcels of land - which is now being possible by the Ladies Mile Masterplan and plan change.
The council investigated using the house itself as a temporary community facilities but toxic mould was discovered in the walls, ruling that out.
Now it is being knocked down over the next six weeks. The garage at the back of the house will stay.
Simon Battrick, QLDC Sport & Recreation Manager, says: "Clearing 516 Ladies Mile of the current property will enable future community use of the site as part of the overall Ladies Mile Masterplan.
"As we look to the future, this area will be an important community asset for the growing Queenstown Lakes District."
The draft Long Term Plan 2024-2034 (LTP), due for consideration by Councillors on 27 June, includes a proposal to bring forward development of the 516 Ladies Mile site. If approved by Councillors, consultation on the draft LTP will run from 28 June – 28 July.
The demolition contract was awarded to Invercargill based contractor – Ryal Bush Transport. The demolition is due to be completed by Tuesday, 30 July.
