New Wellington Second Airport

[Mike W]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/283316...ject-lifts-off

Despite strong opposition due to noise concerns, Wellington is to get it's second commercial Airport

$450m Paraparaumu Airport project lifts off

By KAY BLUNDELL - The Dominion Post

A $450 million redevelopment of Paraparaumu Airport has finally been given the go-ahead, paving the way for a business park and Air New Zealand flights to Auckland and Christchurch within a year.

The Environment Court has given the green light to the long-awaited development, after decades of uncertainty and frustration.

The interim approval of Plan Change 73 was granted yesterday by Judge Brian Dwyer and environment commissioners John Mills and Helen Beaumont, meaning work can begin almost immediately.

The decision upheld a previous ruling by independent commissioners last year, but ruled that aircraft noise concerns had to be handled within 15 days.

The Paraparaumu Airport Coalition, which opposed the development, had estimated it would cost more than $10 million to minimise effects of noise on more than 350 nearby houses. Developers expect to solve those problems within days.

Appeals lodged by the coalition, Bernard Cammack and Ann Evans, Paraparaumu Airport Coalition and local iwi Te Whanau a Te Ngarara were declined.

Paraparaumu Airport owner Noel Robinson said he planned to start work this month on upgrading the airport, with new flights starting within a year.

Continues...

[Mike W]

Also at Flight Global

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...n-airport.html

Article mentions Air NZ to base some Q300s there.

[David Ramsay]

I'm showing my age here but I can remember when Wellington airport was at Paraparaumu, before the current Wellington airport opened in 1959.

[Mike W]

Originally Posted by David Ramsay

I'm showing my age here but I can remember when Wellington airport was at Paraparaumu, before the current Wellington airport opened in 1959.

This sounds like it might be the same Airport. I've seen GA operating there including watching a Warrior doing circuits wishing I was up there. Looks like a much more interesting view there over the water than where I did mine at Bankstown.

[Steve S... 2]

Is the location of the new airport less windy at all?

[David Ramsay]

Anywhere is less windy than NZWN.

Paraparaumu is about 50 km north of Wellington on the west coast. Part of the wind problem with NZWN is its geographic location on a narrow piece of land right on Cook Strait.

I don't know how successful it will be. It's a bit like the Avalon/Melbourne thing and the traffic on that road can be hell.

[S.Greaves]

Did my NZ PPL training there and lived in Kiwi Rd not far from the end of Rwy34 and under the flight path. When the weather was really bad in Wellington, the ANZ F27's would divert to Paraparam. First time it happened was late one night with low cloud, and the strobes lit up the interior of the house as the F27 went over at a couple of hundred feet. My son was 1 year old and used to watch me do circuits from the living room window, now he has his ATPL. And we had doubts about buying the place because of a proposed freeway to the east!!! Happy days. My first solo nav was across Cook Strait to Blenheim up the Wairoa Valley, turn right, over the col and into Nelson, then back to Paraparam. Got bounced around real bad, real head banging stuff, fought ferocious winds across the Strait coming home, down to 500ft. Asked for a vector to Paraparam from Wellington Radar. When the sun was low enough to be under the clouds I could see the red roof of the Homemakers store and thanked radar. Did a low level circuit and got in. When I left Paraparm that arvo it was, and forecast to be CAVOK. I always had an out, in that I could see the Sth Island the whole time and could have diverted if it got real grim. If you missed the turn to Nelson you ended up in a box canyon with 8/8 schist.

[Mike W]

^ Nice little piece Greaves (sorry but didn't know what else to call you) a nice notastalgic read. Thanks for sharing.

[Jarden S]

Way cleared for airport project

A plan change paving the way for the $450 million redevelopment of Paraparaumu Airport has been given the final all-clear by the Environment Court.

The court granted interim approval last month and finalised the decision this week after Paraparaumu Airport Ltd improved its aircraft noise management.

Airport owner Sir Noel Robinson welcomed the approval. "We are now looking forward to planning with certainty and moving quickly to bring our plans to fruition."

The company altered its noise management in response to recommendations by residents Ann Evans and Bernard Cammack in the appeal.

Sir Noel said the changes included altering helicopter flight training and hovering practices to reduce noise levels.

The company plans to upgrade its airfield and airspace management to accommodate Air New Zealand flights to Auckland and later Christchurch and develop a business park to ensure the airport's long-term financial viability.

In response to the court's decision, Air New Zealand confirmed its plans this week to start a new service between Paraparaumu and Auckland next October.

"First cab off the rank is to get the new air service operating," Sir Noel said. He hoped to have a resource consent application to build a new temporary terminal lodged with Kapiti Coast District Council before Christmas. Commercial development to support the aviation activity would then follow.

Labour's transport spokesman Darren Hughes and Kapiti Coast Mayor Jenny Rowan have been working with former airport landowners' descendants to negotiate a settlement over the Crown's failure to offer the airport back when it sold it in 1995.

Thirteen descendants had instructed their lawyer to go to the High Court to have about 85 hectares offered back.

Mr Hughes said he was hopeful agreement could be reached.