Seaplane base put on hold

Press, 13 September 1988, Page 6

Seaplane base put on hold

By I

DAVE WILSON

A tourist seaplane base planned for Lyttelton has been put on hold by the developer because of a wrangle with the Lyttelton Harbour Board over land use.

Canterbury Planes, Ltd, which flies a Grumman Goose amphibian aircraft round Banks Peninsula, has not been able! to reach agreement on an area of board land it wants for a reception centre-bar and playground. Mr Stephen Pope, owner of the tourist flying, venture, said yesterday he had been discouraged by a lack of co-operation shown by the harbour board..

Although the Goose can land on Lyttelton Harbour. the plane cannot

pick up or disembark passengers.

Mr Pope wanted an area of land on which to build a headquarters for the company,zand an associated tourist reception centre.

Canterbury Planes flies from Christchurch International Airport, and on regular flights between Christchurch and Akaroa.

Mr Pope said negotiations with the harbour board were taking too long and costing too much money.

With no progress after several months negotiations, he was placing the Lyttelton proposal on hold.

“They have offered us areas of land that are quite unsuitable for our purposes and the whole attitude we have experienced toward the project

has been quite negative.” The harbour board general manager, Mr tan Brokenshire,' denied this, saying the board was not being obstructive, but that it had to regard the seaplane proposal in the context of compatibility with • existing port users.

Mr Brokenshire said although he had not been dealing personally with the negotiations, the board had to consider the interests of all harbour users.

The board’s latest offer was for an area of land on the seaward side of the oil wharf on Naval Point.

Mr Pope said the area would demand the construction of a ramp out into the sea, at an estimated cost of $500,000. For this and other reasons he

regarded the site as unsuitable. Mr Brokenshire said Canterbury Planes had selected areas which were already used for the launching and retrieving of yachts. “The problem is a question of compatibility of a seaplane in such close proximity to yachts.”

Mr Brokenshire said the board did not want to discourage Mr Pope. “I regret that we seem to be discussing this matter by long-range negotiations.”

Mr Pope replied that he had tried on several occasions to meet and discuss the matter with the board manager. “But I have never been able to meet Mr Brokenshire. The matter has always been delegated to other board officers.”