Should Queenstown airport be shifted?
Air New Zealand’s call for a new Central Otago airport has reignited debate over future air services for the region.
The promoter of a new airport near Lumsden is dusting off his plans, but the Frankton Community Association said it would only shift the noise problem elsewhere.
The airline last week came out in support of Queenstown Airport proposals to increase noise limits, however, it said a new regional airport would still be needed to accommodate future visitor growth.
Basil Walker, who lost an Environment Court case in the 1990s to use land at Castlerock for an international airport, is preparing to reapply to the Southland District Council for resource management consent.
In its 2017 master plan the Queenstown Airport company said that while the site had the lowest noise impact, and could handle future growth, it was too far from Queenstown and the roads could not cope with the higher volumes of traffic.
Walker, a former bankrupt who was involved in a battle to control the Kingston Flyer railway attraction, believes the 70 min journey is doable and claims the location on the main highway to Te Anau is a good solution.
Chair of the Frankton Community Association Glyn Lewers is unconvinced about siting an airport at Castlerock. ‘‘[The road] is called the Devil’s Staircase for a reason, it’s windy and narrow.’’
He said retaining the current noise boundaries, capping flights into Queenstown, and sending the overflow of flights through existing airports, such as Christchurch, was a better option.
Airport company plans would increase noise levels in 3000 homes and it is offering to reduce the impact by installing double glazing and ventilation systems.
A spokeswoman said Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment statistics showed overseas visitors arriving into Christchurch spent 40 per cent more time in the South Island.