[nzkiwi]

KAPITI AIRPORT Projects

A $450 million redevelopment of Paraparaumu Airport has finally been given the go-ahead, paving the way for a business park and Air New Zealand flights to Auckland and Christchurch within a year.

The Environment Court has given the green light to the long-awaited development, after decades of uncertainty and frustration.

The interim approval of Plan Change 73 was granted yesterday by Judge Brian Dwyer and environment commissioners John Mills and Helen Beaumont, meaning work can begin almost immediately.

The decision upheld a previous ruling by independent commissioners last year, but ruled that aircraft noise concerns had to be handled within 15 days.

The Paraparaumu Airport Coalition, which opposed the development, had estimated it would cost more than $10 million to minimise effects of noise on more than 350 nearby houses. Developers expect to solve those problems within days.

Appeals lodged by the coalition, Bernard Cammack and Ann Evans, Paraparaumu Airport Coalition and local iwi Te Whanau a Te Ngarara were declined.

Paraparaumu Airport owner Noel Robinson said he planned to start work this month on upgrading the airport, with new flights starting within a year.

"The community now has an opportunity to participate in the development of a vibrant infrastructure asset serving the needs of the Kapiti region."

Paraparaumu Airport Ltd chairman Sir John Goulter said the decision was great news for the community.

"It is especially pleasing that the court has chosen to make only minor changes to the plans approved by the council in 2008.

"The main priority now is to establish a terminal and reseal the main runway, including some levelling work, as a precursor to Air New Zealand commencing regular flights to and from Paraparaumu."

Kapiti Mayor Jenny Rowan welcomed the decision. "I am delighted ... Now the owners can get on and provide us with a regional airport and huge economic growth," she said.

Kapiti Coast District Council received 1319 submissions on Paraparaumu Airport Holdings' business park and airport development plan 900 in opposition, 100 in support, and the remainder making various suggestions, before the three appeals were lodged with the Environment Court.

The plan includes extending the main runway, shifting and shortening the east-west runway, and creating an industrial park on the 127-hectare site.

THE STORY SO FAR

* Crown acquires the airport in 1939 under the Public Works Act for aviation purposes in World War II.

* In 1995, the 131-hectare block of land was sold to businessman Murray Cole for $1.65 million.

* Te Whanau a te Ngarara, acting for the original Maori and non-Maori landowners, battles for compensation believing the land should have been offered back under the Public Works Act.
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* In 2004 a parliamentary select committee called for a government inquiry into the sale. An auditor-general's inquiry found the sale process flawed but the price reasonable.

* In 2006, Paraparaumu Airport Holdings bought the airport for "well under $40m" and announced plans for a 30-year development.

* In 2008 Kapiti Coast District Council approves the redevelopment application.

* Paraparaumu Airport Coalition, which opposed the plans, filed an appeal to the Environment Court.

* The Environment Court has now given the redevelopment the green light.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/2833160/450m-Paraparaumu-Airport-project-lifts-off

 

[nzkiwi]

Air NZ launches Paraparaumu-Christchurch service

Air New Zealand is expanding its services to and from the Kapiti Coast, with a new daily direct service between Paraparaumu and Christchurch from November and a special early bird fare to celebrate.

The new service will be operated by Air New Zealand subsidiary Air Nelson and provide more than 36,000 direct seats a year between the two regions. Air New Zealand is offering a special launch fare of $59 one way for travel until 18 December.

Air Nelson General Manager Darin Stringer says "110,000 people live within Kapiti Coast Airport’s catchment area and market research has demonstrated clear demand for additional connections from Kapiti Coast Airport. When surveyed, more locals nominated Christchurch as the next destination of choice than all other possible destinations combined."

Christchurch Airport Chief Executive Jim Boult says "This new service is a positive sign for the recovery of Christchurch and Canterbury and offers a connection we know people have been asking for. We congratulate Air New Zealand on this initiative, which will be well received by travellers in both directions."

Kapiti Coast Airport owner Sir Noel Robinson describes the announcement as a huge milestone for Kapiti Coast residents and the wider catchment area.

"To be announcing another direct service less than two years after the airport opened is very exciting. This new service will conveniently connect two provincial areas without the need for a road journey between Paraparaumu and Wellington. With Wellington Airport becoming increasingly congested, business and leisure travellers beginning their journey at Paraparaumu are able to enjoy a more efficient and relaxing experience."

The new service will offer a morning departure from the Kapiti Coast Monday to Saturday with a returning service from Christchurch in the afternoon, plus a return service on Sunday afternoons.
Air New Zealand currently operates up to three services a day between Kapiti Coast Airport and Auckland.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/17966260/air-nz-launches-paraparaumu-christchurch-service/

 

[nzkiwi]

Kapiti - Long-haul flights from Paraparaumu and a high-speed train

WOW this would be great

News release from J&Y Media
Wellington Airport needs to grow its business in the immediate term, says mayoral candidate Jack Yan, but long-term, the solution lies in Paraparaumu.

Mr Yan, who was the first candidate to propose that the airport runway should be extended in his manifesto, says that the business case must be very sound so that the impact on ratepayers is minimal and that Wellingtonians receive a decent return on investment. He believes the business case can be improved beyond the projections offered so far by Infratil, which believes ratepayers would have to fund the airport to hundreds of millions.

However, in 30 years’ time, should there be amalgamation, Mr Yan foresees the airport being elsewhere, with a high-speed rail link between the Kapiti Coast and Wellington’s CBD.

‘We heard a few years back that the next generation of planes will be able to make use of Wellington’s short runway but that hasn’t attracted any new airlines here,’ he notes. ‘Further, the Council already has a long-haul development fund, aimed at attracting new airlines here. Of course, no airline has taken up the offer.’

Mr Yan says that successive councils have not been active in negotiating on two fronts: to open new markets for Air New Zealand overseas to compensate for the loss of the lucrative Wellington–Auckland route for international travellers; and to attract new airlines here actively.

He says his international business experience, including his work in Asia, can present a more compelling case for airlines.

It is what he calls a two-stage plan: to leverage Wellington Airport to attract global players and allowing current airlines to take on international destination, while, depending on the pace of regionalization, develop Paraparaumu Airport for international long-haul.

‘The attitude at the moment seems to be “build it and they will come”, when really we need a good, strong business case to go to central government, to go to private investors with and say, “We think there is a good case here,”’ he says.

‘The other issue at play is whether it is economically viable to fly shorter body aircraft long-haul to Wellington, when larger planes can be flown to Christchurch and Auckland, generating greater economies of scale, even with passengers needing to take connecting flights.

‘To overcome this obstacle, we may wish to investigate upgrading Paraparaumu airport, which wouldn’t require anywhere near the amount of capital Wellington International does.

‘Paraparaumu Airport, sadly, is not as convenient as the existing airport for many Wellington city residents, but we can overcome this issue through investing in a high speed rail link to the airport.

Mr Yan adds, ‘This would likely present a stronger business case, especially with the likelihood of regional amalgamation. Seventy per cent of the region’s population lives north of Wellington City and if you examine the growth patterns, that growth is occurring on the northern corridor along the coast, from Wellington to Kapiti.

‘A high-speed rail link along here would not only provide transit for rail passengers, but also for commuters living in these areas. Wellington City Council’s amalgamation proposal sees the city as continuing to be the hub of economic development in the region for the long-term, so it’s important to have the right infrastructure to achieve this.’

Mr Yan says that if central government is expected to help fund the upgrade, then a $200 million investment for Paraparaumu would deliver a better return than adding 300m to the existing Wellington Airport runway.

Steven Joyce indicated last week that central government would not be contributing funding to a runway extension in Wellington, so other options which have greater benefit to cost ratios need to be explored, Mr Yan said, prompting his Paraparaumu suggestion.

http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=58982

 

[KLK]

This idea gets rehashed every so often but is unlikely to ever stack up. As is stated, an extension to Wellington's runway combined with technology advances and efficiencies will be more than enough to cater for Wellington's flight needs many times over.

I would say Palmy would stack up better as an international alternative because of it's ability to service the central north island market which is very distant from Wellington or Auckland. Though history says that didn't even work

And high speed rail? There is already a rail corridor to the north of Wellington CBD. All you need is the link from the central rail station to the airport for travelers as well as daily commuters.

 

[cle]

A high speed line would cost $1b+ and wouldn't wash its face.

With Kapiti growth, further expanding the line's capacity (complete doubling, some passing loops, more local and express services) might be worthwhile, as might extending the wires. But air demand wouldn't drive that.

It's simply in the wrong place. One of the only things good about WLG is its convenience to the city. And the runway extensions, whatever form they take, would be cheaper than relocating the main airport.

But that constraint limiting the airport expansion is the same which limits population (and to some extent economic) growth - so whilst Wellington might thrive on industries such as film/digital and associated tourism, it's unlikely to have a huge boom and traffic growth should be manageable.

I think government policy needs to focus on a long term plan for Wellington personally, especially if they think it's 'dying'. Why not have enterprise zones/subsidies/breaks for certain desirable industries which are high-tech, high-skill and forward looking. In addition to film, why not try to attract tech/online/digital/gaming businesses, or medical ones? Or centres for green energy?

The big law firms, banks and consultancies can stay in Auckland. Cambridge in the UK could be decent inspiration for where size doesn't matter in regards to prosperity, development and full employment.

 

[Azevo]

Having the Paraparaumu airport cater to international flights would be no better (possible worse) than having it at the Wellington airport. You would only be able to land or take of large craft by the direction of the ocean, it simply would not be ideal or any better than Wellington airport. Then there is the locals you will never persuade and such on and so forth.

 

[KIWIKAAS]

I always find these proposals for Paraparaumu airport amusing. There is nowhere to extend the runway without demolishing the adjacent neighbourhood. They always talk about it like 'we just extend the runway and build a high speed rail link and hey presto'. As already stated above, the problems with expanding Paraparaumu airport are even worse than at Wellington airport.
Wellington dosen't need direct longhaul anyway and most likely would never attract a long term, long haul connection.

 

[deepred]

While I'm personally voting for Jack Yan, PPQ was already investigated and rejected for jet planes years ago. The existing Rongotai site was chosen for its closeness to the Wellington CBD. And is there really such difficulty in Boeing or Airbus developing VSTOL jumbo jets, besides the increased fuel usage?

When John Key mentioned there was 'nothing he could do' about arresting Wellington's supposed slide, he really meant to say that there was nothing he could do that fit his worldview, where anything that moves (and doesn't move) has a 3-letter NYSE code. Regional development and urban decentralisation, like what's been done in Britain to take pressure off London, is inherently dirigiste.

 

[Azevo]

Where I disagree with Mr. Yan's Paraparaumu airport proposal, his recent mention of longer PT hours for Wellington Airport is to me, much, much more important.

 

[nzkiwi]

Somebody remind me again why this is not possible

Apart from the few houses in Raumati which would need to make way. Is this seriously not an option? Surely it would be a lot cheaper than extending the Wellington runway.

The new Kapiti expressway which is currently under construction will make it impossible. But what other factors were involved with not making this a reality?

A runway like this would be long enough to sustain 737's.

 

[tommo39]

The thing I keep reading about Kapiti Airport every time it's brought up as an alternative is that apparently the mountains are just too close, it's a safety issue. Don't ask me why, but it were me in the plane, I'd believe anyone who tells me landing in Rongotai is safer...

 

[Richard7666]

Wellington can already sustain 737s, so there'd be little point extending Kapiti as an alternative to extending Wellington. Assuming that's what you meant.

Also, frequently landing anything bigger than a small turboprop in what is effectively a giant retirement village probably isn't plausible for resource consent reasons.

 

[Molokai]

Wellington can already sustain 737s, so there'd be little point extending Kapiti as an alternative to extending Wellington. Assuming that's what you meant.

Also, frequently landing anything bigger than a small turboprop in what is effectively a giant retirement village probably isn't plausible for resource consent reasons.

LOL. I don't think anybody from Invercargill has the right to call Kapiti a retirement village

 

[Richard7666]

There are (apparently*) 14 retirement villages in the Kapiti district, including one right at the end of the existing runway. The airport is also surrounded by other housing, even much more than Qtown airport is, and enough of a stink is kicked up over that.

(Out of interest: The median age in Kapiti (2006 census) is 44.3 years of age, Invercargill 37.6, NZ 35.9.
23.3% of Kapiti is 65+, 14.5% Invercargill, 12.3% NZ)

*Friend from Kapiti told me this, had pulled the stat from somewhere as part of a market research project once.

 

[nzkiwi]

There are (apparently*) 14 retirement villages in the Kapiti district, including one right at the end of the existing runway. The airport is also surrounded by other housing, even much more than Qtown airport is, and enough of a stink is kicked up over that.

(Out of interest: The median age in Kapiti (2006 census) is 44.3 years of age, Invercargill 37.6, NZ 35.9.
23.3% of Kapiti is 65+, 14.5% Invercargill, 12.3% NZ)

*Friend from Kapiti told me this, had pulled the stat from somewhere as part of a market research project once.

The difference is nobody wants to live in Inv.

Waikanae is well known as one of the retirement places in wellington. Its just part of the Kapiti coast.

 

[Richard7666]

^Good to see the Wellington subforum is snobby and childish. Bloody hell.

 

[Nick.Yeah]

^^ Sorry, but I don't think those feelings about living in Invercargill are specific to Wellingtonians .

 

[Richard7666]

Meh, I like it here as I don't like larger cities. Each to their own.

 

[mathlete]

The thing I keep reading about Kapiti Airport every time it's brought up as an alternative is that apparently the mountains are just too close

But if the runway run north to south as per the image in the first post, are the mountains still an issue? Surely not.

I've always liked the idea of Kapiti replacing Wellington.

 

[tommo39]

I don't really understand it either, I guess it's a good reminder that Mt Vic and the Miramar hill in Welly really aren't that tall.