Hearings on bid to extend Wellington Airport runway likely to be delayed to June
Infratil is pushing for central and local government funding to cover most of the capital costs.
Infrastructure investor Infratil says a shortage of court space in Wellington due to the November earthquake means hearings on Wellington International Airport's bid to extend the runway to make room for long-haul flights will likely be pushed out to June.
A number of office buildings were damaged by the November 14 Kaikoura earthquake.
The airport is owned 66% by Infratil and 33% by the Wellington City Council. The airport has applied to build a 355-metre runway extension in a bid to attract long-haul flights from Asia and the United States, at a cost of more than $350 million.
Infratil is pushing for central and local government funding to cover most of the capital costs, arguing the investment is in the national and regional interest while not being viable on a standalone commercial basis.
The Environment Court hearings have been pending since last year. A variety of opponents, including national carrier Air New Zealand, have filed to be heard, with ratepayer and resident associations expressing concern at recent estimates that blew the cost of the runway extension out to more than $420 million.
Infratil has reiterated the cost to central New Zealand of not having air links to the northern hemisphere and the rest of the region.
"Over the past five years, the rest of New Zealand experienced a 39% rise in tourist spend, almost double the 20% growth in the central region," it says.
Infratil also emphasised the ongoing increase in New Zealand-China traffic is benefiting other regions "but is also out of reach of Wellington."
(BusinessDesk)
Rebecca Howard
Thu, 09 Feb 2017
Thu, 09 Feb 2017
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Hearings on bid to extend Wellington Airport runway likely to be delayed to June
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