Construction is set to begin on Marlborough Airport’s largest maintenance project to date, which includes re-paving the runway and adjacent aviation surfaces, as well as improvements to the short-term car park.

Investments in maintaining and improving airport infrastructure are important to ensure the safety and efficiency of air travel in Marlborough, said Dean Heiford, chief executive of Marlborough Airport Ltd (MAL).

“Runways are the highest risk for any airport and safety is the top priority for aircraft and travellers visiting Marlborough. This investment in infrastructure is once every 15 years, so we are also taking this opportunity to improve aviation lighting, emergency access and capabilities for electric aircraft arriving in 2026,” Mr Heiford said.

“The project also includes improvements to the older car park near the terminal, where we’re adding nearly 1,000 native plants and a new outdoor seating area, while we re-pave and improve its layout.”

This $10.7 million investment is funded through airport operations, with most of the airside construction taking place at night to minimise disruption to scheduled flights and the public.

“There are 35 nightshifts to lay 70,500 square metres of pavement across the airport’s runway, taxiway and apron. There are no planned disruptions to flights, as this work will be done in sections and at night,” Mr Heiford said. “The short-term car park will be closed for a brief period after the runway reseal, so that we can improve the layout and drainage, as well as reseal the car park surface.”

TDZ Projects is leading the project delivery, alongside design engineers Beca and recently appointed contractor Fulton Hogan. In 2024, a rigorous closed tender process was carried out and specialist contractors were invited to bid on this project, based on previous airport experience in high-risk projects.

“We received a strong response to the tender process, which was chosen due to the specialist nature and high risks involved with the project,” Mr Heiford said. “It was highly competitive, not only in price but also risk management and the calibre of people with previous airport experience.”

For the first time in the airport’s procurement process, sustainability initiatives accounted for 10 per cent of the tender. This has resulted in the project millings, or crushed bits of old pavement, to be saved and re-used in future projects in Marlborough.

MAL is a council controlled organisation, 100 per cent owned by MDC Holdings, which is a council controlled trading organisation established to act as a holding company for its commercial entities, such as MAL, as well as Port Marlborough NZ Ltd.

In addition to commercial flights and delivering dividends to Council, the airport is a lifeline under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.

For updates on this project, visit www.marlboroughairport.co.nz

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