Airport terminal contract

Press, 5 July 1978, Page 20

Airport terminal contract

The most immediate benefit of the Government’s approving the calling of tenders for the new international arrivals terminal at the Christchurch Airport will be the boost to the city’s construction industry. One measure of the state of this industry is that the firm which constructed many of the earlier buildings at the airport is in no position to tender for the new terminal. Earlier this year, the Christchurch City Council referred to the serious local employment problem when urging the Government to approve the calling of tenders as soon as possible The delays in Wellington were not caused by a wish to avoid over-stimulating the local building industry, but the depression of the industry should have prompted the Government to hurry matters along. Apart from the state of the local building industry, approval of the plans was overdue as a means to prevent overcrowding and delays in moving passengers at the airport. The building of the terminal will put Christchurch in a better position to bid for, or cater to, more international flights. Had there not been a downturn in international air travel in recent years, overcrowding at the airport might already have become intolerable. As it is, even if the new building is not completed in time for the summer rush that may be expected at the end of 1979. the airport should still be able to manage. The prospect of lower fares after the recent meeting of the International Air Travel Association is not so bright as to raise expectations of a dramatic upsurge in the numbers of overseas passengers passing through Christchurch Airport Yet the continuation of the airport’s present problems

is by no means welcome. For both arriving and departing passengers their experience at an airport can colour either their stay in New Zealand or their lasting recollection of how they were treated at a New Zealand tburist doorway. Had the airport authority’s plans received final approval last year, the construction industry would have already enjoyed several months of support and the present inconvenience and the threat of future congestion would have been avoided. These reflections give point to the plea of the Mayor of Christchurch, Mr H. G. Hay, that the system of planning and approving extensions at Christchurch Airport be altered to avoid delays in the future. In the year and more since the Government approved the project in principle, the Ministry of Works and Development has been examining the authority’s plans. This review took longer than it took to draw the plans up in the first place. Such a complicated, two-step procedure might well be abandoned in favour of co-operation before planning begins in earnest for the next stage in enlarging the airport. This further stage will probably not be needed for five years or more after the stage just approved has been completed. Evidence of mishaps elsewhere in the drawing of plans and the writing of tender and contract documents for major public buildings suggests that a careful review should be made of procedures. But this need not imply that a year need be taken to check plans. A combined and progressive undertaking on planning seems sensible on all counts.