Project Manawa

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

Consultation is now underway on foundational first steps towards enabling Project Manawa; a long-term vision for community and cultural facilities in the heart of Tāhuna Queenstown.

'Manawa' is te reo Māori for 'heart'. And that is what Project Manawa aims to achieve - a place in the heart of Tāhuna Queenstown that celebrates our district’s culture, heritage and community.

A place that has people, creativity and connection at its core, supports a step change in public transport and provides easy access to the rest of town and the lakefront.

Project Manawa is an opportunity to achieve this vision. It proposes cultural and community facilities such as community and arts spaces, a purpose-built library, a performance and visual arts centre, a town square, commercial buildings, as well as a civic administration building which is key to keeping the centre alive with enterprise and community. All on a central and easily accessible site located at Stanley Street, Queenstown.

Proposed Project Manawa site, as identified as a preferred location for a community heart in the 2017 Queenstown Town Centre Masterplan.

Scope of this consultation

The Stanley Street site has long been a topic of conversation in our community.

At this stage of the process, Council is inviting submissions on proposals to help deliver the future vision of Project Manawa. This can be broken down into two consultation topics:

  1. Proposed land exchanges: this would involve a number of different land exchanges to optimise the potential for the Manawa site; and
  2. Proposed joint venture arrangements: this involves a potential governance structure for constructing and administering the new civic administration building at the Manawa site.

These are the foundational first steps toward creating Project Manawa and your submission will assist Council in its future decision making.

It is important to be aware that this consultation is not seeking any feedback on the proposed buildings or facilities themselves. The community facilities will be subject to further consultation at a later date, following the outcome of this current process.

We look forward to continuing this important community conversation.


Get informed

Read the Statement of Proposal below.

>> Statement of proposal
>> Survey Plans for proposed land exchange option one
>> Survey Plans for proposed land exchange option two

You'll also find lots of supporting information in the 'important links' section on the right hand side of this page.

In person opportunities to chat

We'll be popping up at the following times/places:

  • Thursday 30 November 2023
    • 12.00pm-2.00pm, and:
    • 4.30pm-6.30pm
    • both sessions will be held outdoors on Stanley Street (look out for our gazebo)
  • Tuesday 5 December 2023, 3.30pm-5.00pm at Frankton Beach

Elected members and Council staff will be available to talk through the consultation topics and hear your feedback.

Ask a question

We've provided an online 'ask a question' tool below. If you have a question on this process or about any of the proposed options, please ask it below and we'll publish an answer as soon as possible.


How to get involved

Once you have read the Statement of Proposal, you can complete the online submission form below. If you prefer, there are alternative ways to make a submission:

  • Send an email to letstalk.qldc.govt.nz - subject line 'Project Manawa'
  • By post to 'Project Manawa Submission', Queenstown Lakes District Council, Private Bag 50072, Freepost 191078, Queenstown 9348.

Please make sure you let us know if you'd like to speak at a submission hearing. A hearing date is to be confirmed but expected to be held in early February 2024.

Submissions close on Sunday 17 December 2023.

Consultation is now underway on foundational first steps towards enabling Project Manawa; a long-term vision for community and cultural facilities in the heart of Tāhuna Queenstown.

'Manawa' is te reo Māori for 'heart'. And that is what Project Manawa aims to achieve - a place in the heart of Tāhuna Queenstown that celebrates our district’s culture, heritage and community.

A place that has people, creativity and connection at its core, supports a step change in public transport and provides easy access to the rest of town and the lakefront.

Project Manawa is an opportunity to achieve this vision. It proposes cultural and community facilities such as community and arts spaces, a purpose-built library, a performance and visual arts centre, a town square, commercial buildings, as well as a civic administration building which is key to keeping the centre alive with enterprise and community. All on a central and easily accessible site located at Stanley Street, Queenstown.

Proposed Project Manawa site, as identified as a preferred location for a community heart in the 2017 Queenstown Town Centre Masterplan.

Scope of this consultation

The Stanley Street site has long been a topic of conversation in our community.

At this stage of the process, Council is inviting submissions on proposals to help deliver the future vision of Project Manawa. This can be broken down into two consultation topics:

  1. Proposed land exchanges: this would involve a number of different land exchanges to optimise the potential for the Manawa site; and
  2. Proposed joint venture arrangements: this involves a potential governance structure for constructing and administering the new civic administration building at the Manawa site.

These are the foundational first steps toward creating Project Manawa and your submission will assist Council in its future decision making.

It is important to be aware that this consultation is not seeking any feedback on the proposed buildings or facilities themselves. The community facilities will be subject to further consultation at a later date, following the outcome of this current process.

We look forward to continuing this important community conversation.


Get informed

Read the Statement of Proposal below.

>> Statement of proposal
>> Survey Plans for proposed land exchange option one
>> Survey Plans for proposed land exchange option two

You'll also find lots of supporting information in the 'important links' section on the right hand side of this page.

In person opportunities to chat

We'll be popping up at the following times/places:

  • Thursday 30 November 2023
    • 12.00pm-2.00pm, and:
    • 4.30pm-6.30pm
    • both sessions will be held outdoors on Stanley Street (look out for our gazebo)
  • Tuesday 5 December 2023, 3.30pm-5.00pm at Frankton Beach

Elected members and Council staff will be available to talk through the consultation topics and hear your feedback.

Ask a question

We've provided an online 'ask a question' tool below. If you have a question on this process or about any of the proposed options, please ask it below and we'll publish an answer as soon as possible.


How to get involved

Once you have read the Statement of Proposal, you can complete the online submission form below. If you prefer, there are alternative ways to make a submission:

  • Send an email to letstalk.qldc.govt.nz - subject line 'Project Manawa'
  • By post to 'Project Manawa Submission', Queenstown Lakes District Council, Private Bag 50072, Freepost 191078, Queenstown 9348.

Please make sure you let us know if you'd like to speak at a submission hearing. A hearing date is to be confirmed but expected to be held in early February 2024.

Submissions close on Sunday 17 December 2023.

Page published: 13 Nov 2023, 11:15 AM