Shovel-ready Queenstown hill development

Buyers are set to vie for a rare ‘shovel-ready’ opportunity to develop a luxury townhouse complex on a large vacant site minutes from Queenstown’s town centre.

Nearly 3,000 square metres of freehold land on desirable Queenstown Hill is set to go under the hammer at an auction next month (March).

The land comes with an existing resource consent for 12 generously sized, well-designed luxury townhouses along with 12 car parks, thoughtfully planned to maximise elevated views over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables, while delivering strong levels of privacy, independence, and acoustic separation.

Building consent will be in place prior to settlement. New owners will enjoy the benefit of 365-day Visitor Accommodation (VA) approval, now a hard-won and highly sought-after consent that enables full utilisation of the townhouses and maximises cashflow potential.

William Gubb, of Bayleys Frankton, said the scale and location of the opportunity would ensure wide appeal among developers.

“With the hard work done to plan a high-quality scheme optimised for the site, this shovel-ready opportunity in a coveted location with world-class views and convenient access to the town centre and Frankton commercial hub is a truly rare offering.

“New owners could also consider alternative development options capitalising on this exceptional site, according to their own requirements.

“Considering the region’s sustained residential growth and its burgeoning tourism market, this property is certain to command the attention of developers from far and wide,” Gubb said.

The approximately 2,910 square metres of freehold land at 2-10 Saint Georges Avenue, Queenstown, is being marketed for sale by Gubb and colleague Tommy Zhang of Bayleys Real Estate.

The property will go up for sale at an auction on Friday 20 March, unless it is sold prior.

Zhang said the land for sale benefited from around 100 metres of frontage to Saint Georges Avenue, a quiet thoroughfare lined by smart modern homes, tucked behind main arterial Frankton Road.

The land forms part of Residential Zone A under the Queenstown Lakes District Plan. This supports low-density permanent living in an environment dominated by open space and residential amenity.

“For good reason, this location is popular for holidaymakers with outstanding views of Queenstown’s world-renowned scenery and convenient access to a variety of attractions and amenities.

“It offers the dual advantages of tranquil living while also being within around 10 minutes’ drive of supermarkets, major retail hubs and Queenstown’s international airport. The location is also well served by a key bus route with direct services to the airport,” Zhang said.

The Queenstown-Lakes economy continues to outperform the national average, driven by a surge in international tourism and aggressive infrastructure development. Economic growth in the district averaged 5.2 percent per annum over the 10 years to 2025, compared with a New Zealand-wide average of 2.5 percent, according to economics consultancy Infometrics.

Housing demand in Queenstown Lakes is driven by one of the country’s fastest growing populations, with a resident population estimated at 54,000 in mid-2025, projected to climb to nearly 100,000 in 30 years.

In January 2026, international visitors spent $73 million in the district, up from $66.9 million the previous year. Further growth is expected, with international visitor numbers nationally tipped to fully return to 2019 levels by the end of 2026.

“To support ongoing growth, Queenstown is seeing unprecedented infrastructure development, with some $3 billion to $4 billion in investments planned across housing, transport, tourism, and essential services by 2035.

“This signals confidence in the area’s long-term growth prospects, which in turn spells ongoing opportunity for investors and developers with an eye to the future,” Zhang said.