New look at proposed Central Otago airport

Residents of a small Central Otago settlement have been given a glimpse of what a future international-capable airport could look like on their doorstep if the project progresses.

Christchurch Airport has today released video and images of the proposed terminal and laid out reasons why a new regional airport should be built in Tarras.

The Unlocking Potential: Central Otago's runway to future-focused aviation report highlights "well-known air capacity constraints" for Central Otago and the wider southern region, particularly tourist numbers in nearby Queenstown.

It also includes details on the preferred runway alignment, impact on the road network and environment and "implications of not building additional air capacity".

The proposed runway length would be between 2220m and 2600m — just behind Auckland and Christchurch — and much longer than Queenstown Airport and similar in length to Invercargill.

Christchurch Airport's chief strategy and stakeholder officer Michael Singleton said "a runway aligned to the Lindis Valley and Lake Dunstan stood out for its safety, operational efficiency and having a lesser noise impact on the communities in Central Otago. The alignment also provides greater flexibility for aircraft types, which is particularly important to enabling the next generation of low emissions".

The idea was first mooted in 2020 when Christchurch Airport was buying up 750 hectares of farmland in the small Central Otago settlement and concerns around air travel connectivity was becoming a growing issue in the tourist hotspots.

The land is bordered by state highways 8/8A and at the time $45 million had been spent on the project.

The news came as a shock to the community as there was limited information about what was planned, but it was seen as a 50-year project.

Locals demanded answers at a public meeting at the Tarras War Memorial Hall shortly after the announcement and were concerned about pushing more tourism, the environment, and being kept out of the decision-making.

But since then, the airport has provided small but regular updates over the years and held public drop-in sessions to keep locals in the loop.

Media are not invited into those sessions today.

READ MORE: New 'sustainable' airport proposed for Central Otago

Three years on, airport chief executive Justin Watson said the company is now "focused on laying the groundwork for a good decision on the future of the project — whether an airport is built or not".

"We believe this is worth exploring. Our team has been working with experts to understand what the region might need in 20, 30 or 40 years and how a new Central Otago airport could support the social and economic well-being of the region," he said.

"We know people in Central Otago are passionate about their place in the world and what happens to it. Its economy depends on the efficient movement of people and products, and while we’re not making decisions yet, we are making sure we fully understand the impact of the options both now and for future generations."

There was also an open letter from academics sent to the airport against the project, stating concerns around sustainability and calls to use existing airport infrastructure.

However, Singleton said demand for air connectivity in the region would likely "far exceed [Central Otago's] current capacity over the next 30 years".

"This could result in the region spilling more passengers than it serves by 2040. Increasing capacity at existing infrastructure will only move the problem out a few years. This is likely to have a far greater impact on residents, as visitors are more likely to book earlier and pay higher fares.

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Environment

May 8, 2022

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"If we do nothing, there could be between two and three people vying for every available seat to and from the region by 2050."

Public drop-in sessions are happening today for local residents between 2pm and 7pm at the Tarras War Memorial Hall and in Cromwell and Wānaka in the coming days.