Scale of developer’s Pegasus plan revealed as 1000 homes, increasing town size by a third

Tuesday, 21 July 2026

A proposal to build up to 1000 homes at Pegasus could increase the township by more than a third, with residents warning the community is already “at capacity.”

Reports this week revealed Wolfbrook has lodged a statutory notice outlining plans to seek fast-track approval for up to 1000 homes on about 77 hectares of the Pegasus Golf Course.

Pegasus Residents Group president Matt James said there were no surprises, as they had expected a development of that scale.

“We believed it was going to be roughly that sort of quantity, if not more. That’s typically what Wolfbrook does. High-density housing is typically their portfolio.”

However, he said the proposal reinforced concerns the community has held from the outset. He believed the project would overwhelm local infrastructure and permanently change the character of the township.

“It’s not going to work in Pegasus. The roading, the schooling, the stormwater issues – these are not minor things.”

James said the Waimakariri District Council had already identified where future growth should occur, and Pegasus was not intended to accommodate development on this scale.

Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon has previously echoed that view. He said last month that the council's recently adopted District Plan identified where future growth should occur and that developments previously considered and rejected through district planning or Resource Management Act processes should not be fast-tracked.

“Council is not averse to growth and [it is] something we have embraced over the last 30 years, but it needs to be growth planned in the right place and have nexus to our district plan.

“Our recently adopted district plan has capacity for between 14,000 and 17,000 new dwellings. I completely refute any suggestion this isn’t sufficient. In terms of real population change, at the higher end this caters for up to 45,900 new residents.”

James also questioned how the proposal would work following the Government’s announcement recently that the Woodend bypass still had no money allocated to start construction.

“Wolfbrook’s business case had to assume easy commuting access into Christchurch,” he said. “Now that the State Highway 1 Woodend Bypass has been paused, the roads as they stand can't take that volume of traffic.”

Pegasus Guardians spokesperson Grant Elley said he was also unsurprised by the proposal.

“I would anticipate they're trying to maximise the possible return.”

His main concern, however, was whether Pegasus could support another 1000 homes.

“The township was a master-planned township designed for a certain size, and we're basically at that capacity.”

While stressing he was not an engineer, Elley said accommodating a development of that size would require significant infrastructure investment.

He said traffic congestion was already an issue and would only worsen if the development proceeded.

“Anything can potentially be engineered, but at what cost, both financially and to the community?

“There's only one road in and out, and now that the bypass has been put on hold, it’s only going to amplify that pressure.

“You’ve only got to see [traffic] in the mornings here. The traffic backs up for a huge distance, and that's only going to be amplified by the additional housing.”

Elley also pointed to concerns about stormwater, saying any impacts could extend beyond Pegasus into neighbouring communities.

He and other residents wanted the community to have the opportunity to be heard through the fast-track process. Wolfbrook's application was now before the Government, which would then decide whether it progresses to the next stage of the accelerated process.

Meanwhile, supporters of preserving the Pegasus Golf Course gathered at Amberley Golf Club on Sunday for a fundraising tournament in support of the campaign opposing the redevelopment.

The event raised more than $3000, with organisers saying it also gave former golfers and residents the chance to reconnect after Pegasus Golf Course closed.

“It was wonderful to see so many people reconnecting with friends they may not have encountered since Wolfbrook closed Pegasus,” Elley said.

He said many attendees reflected on what they missed most about the course and the importance of preserving it for future generations.

“The event not only generated funds but also reinforced the connections within the community, reminding everyone of the strength found in collective action.”