Major airport growth ‘likely’

Press, 2 July 1985, Page 8

Major airport growth ‘likely’

PA Auckland The spending of between $4OO . million and $5OO million on Auckland Airport over the next 10 years is advocated in a report released yesterday. A nine-month study commissioned by the Auckland Regional Authority at a cost of $300,000, shows the airport faces a likely average growth of 6 to 8 per cent in domestic passengers a year and 7 to 10 per cent in international traffic.

In some years, it said, the growth could be as high as 20 per cent. The authority commissioned the 400-page report from a study group made up of international experts in the aviation area and New Zealand consultants.

The group foresees a need to double the land used for airport facilities in the next 30 years. It also sees a need to double the size of the international terminal building over the next 15 years. Based on forecast growth, the consultants see a need for a:

• New domestic terminal costing $52 million. • Expansion of the existing domestic terminal as a temporary measure, at a cost of $2O million. • Reconstruction of the existing runway at a cost of $64 million • International terminal building expansion costing $9O million. • New runway costing $76 million.

• Land purchase programme costing $l2, million.