Runway extension studied

Press, 15 April 1980, Page 6

Runway extension studied

The legality of extending Christchurch Airport’s runway by using only its part of an account shared with the Government will be studied by the City Council. According to the estimates of a special management report, the council could complete the $3.4M job, and pay for $750,000 worth of extra navigational equipment, by 1985.

Yesterday, the policy and finance committee said the Government should be told the city was determined to proceed with the project by using only its share of the pool account. Talks with the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport will be sought on that possibility. Cr R. Lester said the council should even consider shedding its equal partner altogether and going on alone with the airport if the Government used its share of funds to help other New Zealand airports. The public utilities committee chairman (Cr M. R. Carter) said it was never clearly ..understood,, by. the public that Christchurch had-

the country’s only international airport where half the cost was met by the local authority. For Auckland International Airport, the Government provided 80 per cent of the funds. In Wellington, twothirds of the money came from the Government.

Any runway extension could be financed within the next five years without loan money, said the City Engineer (Mr P. G. Secular). Other planned airport expenditure would not be affected,With Government aid, the runway job could be finished in late 1982. But when the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) opened the new international terminal last month, , he ruled out that possibility in the near future. Mr >. Muldoon said the, demand for an extension should be shown before it was built.

City councillors disagreed. The management report said airlines were not likely to commit themselves to : using the airport without knowing ait least two years ahead that

a suitable runway ■ would be available.

“It is significant that each phase of development has appeared ahead of demand,” the Airport Director (Mr R. C. Buchanan) said in a report to the special project team studying the runway proposal. He noted that each significant airport development had been faced with delays in Government approval. “With every year that is delayed on this, the project cost rises almost as much as what we are arguing about,” the Mayor (Mr Ham-ish-Hay) said- of the Government’s unwillingness to provide $750,000 outside its airport account share for navigational aids. “We have to show the Government we are prepared to go ahead whether it is willing to help or not,” Mr Hay said.

Mr Scoular said the airport had a history of developments done before demand, but which proved to be inadequate almost as .soon as they’were-completed.

“I think the arguments in favour of extending the runway are irrefutable,” said the committee chairman (Cr N. G. Hattaway). However, it was not clear whether the City Council had the authority to spend its share of the airport account without approval of its Government partner. Mr Scoular said he was not sure of this, but he was certain the runway could not be extended until present navigational aids, under Civil Aviation control, were shifted.

Joint venture airport control was started in 1954. Developments since then have been financed half by the council and half by the Government.

The runway’s present length is 2442 m, and an initial extension to 3360 m is proposed. Roads and navigation aids would be placed so that runway extension to 3660 m was possible. Total cost of the initial extension together with navigation equipment would be $4.15 million.