30 on waiting list to lease private hangars at airport
MORE than 30 people are on a waiting list to lease private hangars at the Alexandra Airport.
Hangars at the Alexandra Airport are at full capacity and no further development is planned until an upgrade of the facility’s water supply is completed.
Central Otago District Council (CODC) district property and facilities officer Tara Bates said this was not likely to occur until late 2020.
There had been ‘‘a lot of interest’’ in leasing hangars, Ms Bates said.
‘‘There isn’t enough capacity for any more hangars than the ones in there at the moment,’’ Ms Bates said.
The current airport water supply is from a shared bore on a residential property at the corner of Coates and Dunstan Rds.
It was expected the airport could transfer to the Alexandra town water supply towards the end of next year, Ms Bates said.
With the area fully occupied for the next 18 months, aviation enthusiasts looking to lease areas for accommodation and hangars will have to bide their time.
The airport is situated on 80ha of land owned by the council and has 23 leased hangar sites at present.
Eleven of the sites contain hangars only and six have hangars with accommodation attached.
Six sites have not yet been built on but construction will happen over the next year.
The council says it plans to develop another hangar precinct of about 20 sites towards the end of 2020.
‘‘Five of these sites will contain hangars with accommodation attached and one is planned for aircraft maintenance,’’ Ms Bates said.
Central Otago deputy mayor Neil Gillespie said that the demand for hangar space at Alexandra Airport was a reflection of the strong growth in the region.
‘‘We’ve seen the commercial reality at other airports in Queenstown. [Alexandra] is a little bit different as it’s more recreational people with their aeroplanes.
‘‘The growth happening at Alexandra Airport is symptomatic of the growth that’s happening in other areas in Central Otago.’’