40 | Changing face of Frankton The terraced homes, designed by Ignite Architects, are spread across three levels. Waipuna Rise T T Kim Bowden REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Drive into Queenstown today and the transformation along the Frankton-Ladies Mile Highway is hard to miss. On one side sits the established retail cluster of Five Mile and Queenstown Central. On the other, land that until recently was open paddocks. That is changing fast. “Frankton is going to encompass both sides of the highway now. It’s really going to change things,” says Anton Kirkbeck, project manager for Waipuna Rise, the four-hectare master-planned development taking shape on what was farmland off State Highway 6 near Lake Johnson. The first stage of terraced residential homes – 20 units built by Cook Brothers Construction – is due for completion in November. The terraced homes, designed by Ignite Architects, are spread across three levels, with quality finishes, and some are built to include a self-contained ground-floor studio. Each home carries 365-day visitor accommodation consent, making them attractive to investors and owner-occupiers alike. The zoning permits greater height on a smaller footprint, which Anton says delivers good living space in a location-driven market. Proximity to the airport, Queenstown Events Centre, local schools and Frankton’s growing retail and hospitality amenities has underpinned strong demand, and most are already sold. A second residential stage is already contracted, with construction set to begin. Anton says the new homes will sit higher on the site, offering better outlooks towards The Remarkables. “These will be a more premium,” he says. Now, attention is turning to the commercial precinct fronting the highway. Properties have been listed for sale through Bayleys Queenstown, with prices starting from $1.629 million plus GST. “We’re thrilled to play a part in bringing the Waipuna Rise development to life alongside Cook Brothers Construction and our valued client.” We are proud to support Waipuna Rise Integrity in Design Quoin Structural Consultants www.quoin.co.nz | Level 2, 138 Victoria Street Christchurch 8013 | 03 968 4925 Quoin endeavour to be an integral part of your design process and to generate greater value for your building development. Our fast, flexible, friendly team develops building design solutions of precision and excellence. Proudly Supporting Waipuna Rise The offering includes five freehold, two-storey units, and three unit-title premises ranging from 155sqm to 397sqm. The commercial buildings are timber-hybrid structures – engineered timber columns and beams with steel lateral bracing. SRA Architects, who completed the masterplan and designed the anchor commercial buildings, say the approach is both economical and sustainable, bringing the natural warmth of exposed timber to the interior. Bayleys broker, William Gubb, says buyers will be securing a foothold in one of New Zealand’s tightest commercial markets. The Queenstown Lakes economy grew at more than 5% per annum over the decade to 2025 – more than double the national rate – and international visitors spent $73 million in the region in January alone. Queenstown’s retail vacancy rate sits at just 1.4%, with office vacancy at 4.3%, well below major-centre benchmarks. “Constrained supplies of zoned commercial development land in Queenstown will continue to fuel demand from occupiers and investors,” William says. The wider precinct will also include a large, multi-storey anchor building designed by Christchurch’s Sheppard & Rout Architects. It has been discussed as a possible future base for Queenstown Lakes District Council. The council’s leases across several sites begin expiring from 2028, aligning with the timing of the Waipuna Rise commercial offering. A hotel and car park building on the northern side of the internal road is also under consideration. What sets Waipuna Rise apart from a typical subdivision, Anton says, is the design control held over the whole precinct. “This development has been designed as a whole – there’s a cohesive thought behind it.” “The commercial aspect is going to be pretty amazing once we get going,” Anton says. “It’s definitely going to change the look of Frankton.”
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