Submission on Whenuapai Airport Plan Change

7 March 2007

Submission to Waitakere City Council on proposed Plan Change: Whenuapai Airport

Auckland International Airport Limited (AIAL) has made a submission to Waitakere City Council (WCC) on the proposed plan change regarding Whenuapai Airport. The decision sought is that the Council decline the plan change.

The plan change is being progressed under the Resource Management Act. AIAL considers there are many areas where the plan change does not meet the requirements of the Act. It does not properly assess alternative uses of the land, the benefits and costs of the plan change and the significant regional issues.

There are likely to be no or minimal positive effects from a second commercial airport in Auckland, says chief executive officer Don Huse.

“Auckland Airport believes that any potential employment benefits are overstated. The claimed road traffic benefits and convenience of Whenuapai as a second commercial airport for the residents of Waitakere, North Shore and Rodney are also overstated because most air travel will still have to occur at Auckland Airport. “

AIAL is working with territorial and regional government planners to improve road and public transport infrastructure to enhance airport access, including development of more efficient connections with central Auckland and key regional hubs.

A second airport at Whenuapai will likely undermine those efforts particularly with respect to public transport.

“AIAL considers that a second commercial airport will have adverse effects on the environment as the land at each end of the runways at Whenuapai includes built-up residential areas or other sensitive land, rather than water or predominantly rural land,” says Mr Huse.

“Additional aircraft movements to, from and on the airport, and associated activities on the

ground will generate significant additional noise effects for residents, particularly those

living under or alongside the flight paths. These extra aircraft movements will be across

significant and densely populated areas of North Shore and Waitakere cities and Rodney

District.

“The costs of developing a commercial airport at Whenuapai outweigh the benefits. There would be significant costs in purchasing or leasing the land at market value, repairing the runways, and other major infrastructure costs. In addition, there would be costs relating to the inefficiencies of duplicating infrastructure that would be borne by the regional and national economies, not by those who would benefit from any development of the airport.”

“The future use of Whenuapai is significant for Waitakere City. The provision of airport facilities, alternative uses of the land and any potential consequences are also matters of great significance regionally and nationally. It is crucial in AIAL’s view that regional and national interests be taken into account in determining the future use of the Whenuapai land. Not to do so could result in adverse outcomes that prejudice Auckland’s future as a world class city and region.”

Auckland Airport is New Zealand’s international gateway, handling more than 70 percent of the country’s international passengers. The airport handles 11 million passengers a year, and around 154,000 aircraft movements. The number of passenger movements is projected to be 24 million by 2025.

ENDS

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