$200M airport development proposed

Press, 6 December 1985, Page 1

$200M airport development proposed

A master plan, prepared by Australian consultants, recommends improvements of at least $2OO million for Christchurch Airport.

The plan cost the Christchurch City Council about $350,000 and was commissioned in May to chart the airport’s future over the next 20 years to prepare for the expected increases in domestic and international travellers. It was prepared by Airport and Systems Design Australia, and Price Waterhouse Associates. Members of the council’s airport and electricity committee, which released the plan yesterday, hailed the 250-page plan and its accompanying 23-page executive summary as an exciting document that would make Christchurch Airport the best in New However, the multi-million-dollar . development

is viable only if existing financial policies are changed. Extra revenue will be needed — principally from airport charges and landing fees — to pay for it. The plan, which still has to be approved by the City Council, contains 11 recommendations which involve a three-stage development of the airport in the next 15 years and options for development beyond that time.

The existing terminal would be retained and developed in what is called the Interim Phase. A new floor would be added to the international arrivals building to cope with the present and expected increased traffic.

Two new terminals would be developed. Phase 1, to be completed by 1990-91, is a domestic and international terminal and Phase 2, to be begun about 1995, an international terminal. Both the existing terminal and Phase 1 would revert to domestic traffic when Phase 2 is built

At 1985 prices these three phases would cost $2OO million over 15 years.

Provision for further development including replacing the present terminal with Phase 3 is not seen as necessary within the 20-year horizon set for the plan.

The terminal facilities would undergo big changes under the plan but the runway would remain largely

unchanged. The present dual intersecting runways are adequate to handle the passenger, military and cargo craft expected until 2005, says the master plan. However, after 2005 a second runway parallel to the present main runway might be needed and the report recommends reserving space about 1500 m west of the present runway as well as space for taxiways.

The committee called' for a report into setting aside land for this purpose and another into the provision of space for a clearway of 250 m to the south of the main runway to provide for movements of large aircraft.