Whangārei council moves towards formal airport site protection from July

District Council will move closer to protecting the future use of its chosen new $150 million airport site from July.

The council has identified three new sites at Ruatangata west, Ruatangata and One Tree Point west for a potential new airport.

Public consultation will run from 20 April till 25 May. The council has added Whangārei's existing Onerahi airport into the mix as a fourth consultation option.

Whangārei District Council (WDC) will decide on 30 June which is to be investigated further, if a new site selected.

Mayor Sheryl Mai said the council would make its decision then, after hearing back from the community.

Formal planning and design is scheduled to start from July and run into the next decade, according to the consultation document, available from 20 April.

"If council decides to elect options one, two or three there will be early engagement with landowners and any other affected parties," the document says.

Further work would be undertaken to look at the site's broad and specific effects.

"Further statutory public consultation will take place as part of a designation process for the land and there will be an opportunity for the public to make submissions and be heard by decision makers," the document says.

It says several years' work would be needed to design ownership models for the operation, including around government contributions for funding and/or ownership. Airport design and construction would be needed for airport design and construction if the airport went ahead.

Engagement with landowners and other affected parties would start "early" if the council chose one of the three new sites, it says.

Documentation formally signed off by the council on 14 March ahead of the consultation's 20 April start date includes site maps for each of three shortlisted new locations - selected from among an original 28. It includes an Onerahi airport location map.

The maps are general representations of each new site and its surrounding area as part of consultation material including "have your say" forms. These will be found on WDC's website from the 20 April consultation start date www.wdc.govt.nz/HaveYourSay

The maps can currently be seen in the council agenda from the 14 April extraordinary meeting, where councillors signed off the statement of proposal underpinning the consultation.

Approximations of the full scale of each site's airport flight paths will be available at three consultation drop-in meetings, or on the WDC website - once consultation begins next week.

The consultation "drop-in" meetings are Monday 2 May at Ruakākā recreation centre, Thursday 5 May at Ruatangata hall and Thursday 12 May at Whangārei's Forum North. All meetings will be from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

Submission hearings are on 9 June. Deliberations about the submissions are on 21 June.

The consultation maps show simplified red spots identifying the potential footprint of the new airport for each of the three locations. Half a dozen bullet-pointed facts outline council "what we know" features. These cover how far the site is from Whangārei city centre, surrounding population, travel to and from the airport, any sites of officially scheduled cultural significance or heritage, geology and infrastructure considerations.

Each map also comes with up to nine key considerations. These include potential impacts on surrounding neighbours, impacts on local roads, water and hydrology considerations, potential wetlands along with waterways such as streams, local native fauna such as kiwi or lizards or bats, conservation areas, flooding risk, urban growth and geology.

The maps' project study areas have been identified through desktop studies and investigations. WDC says further technical assessments are needed before a final location, its details and land requirement are able to be confirmed, subject to funding.

Information about each of the four sites follows (see accompanying maps):

1. Ruatangata west site

The basics: 21km drive from Whangārei city centre. More than 64,000 people within 30 minutes' drive of the site. The airport would be easy to travel to and from. No officially scheduled sites of cultural significance or heritage sites, although the council has been advised of the importance of the Wairua River to hapū. Suitable geology which means less intensive engineering needed to make the site suitable for development. Site unlikely to have major impacts on existing infrastructure such as existing major roads, power pylons or three waters (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater).

Considerations: Potential impacts on nearby Ruatangata west village including noise from airport operations and flight path, lighting and traffic. Potential impacts on local Hodge Road. Site borders Hikurangi flood plain and Wairua River which may limit future development or expansion of airport and its precinct. Several streams and potential wetlands along with freshwater mussels which would need to be managed in line with national policy. May be home to kiwi, native bats, lizards and other birds. Protected conservation areas including Wairua River and Hodge Road dam would need to be carefully considered.

Flight path: Site's airport flight path/runway orientation expected to be broadly south west to north east, allowing for some variation due to mountains and other factors. Airport footprint is oval. It runs at right angles to and is roughly equally dissected by Hodge Road.

2. Ruatangata site

The basics: 17km drive from Whangārei city centre. More than 64,000 people live within 30 minutes' drive of the site. The airport would be easy to travel to and from. No officially scheduled sites of cultural significance or heritage sites. The most suitable geology of the three new sites, meaning less intensive engineering needed to make site suitable for development. Unlikely to have major impacts on existing infrastructure such as existing major roads, power pylons or three waters (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater).

Considerations: Potential impacts on Matarau School and nearby Comrie Park kindergarten as well as lifestyle blocks in that area. They are among the locations, also including Roydon Drive, where residents may be affected by noise from airport operations and flight paths. Local roading impacts including to Kokopu Road and Attwood Road. Patuwairua Stream may be home to several species such as kākahi, longfin eels and freshwater crabs. A number of potential wetlands and streams in the area including Patuwairua Stream which would need to be managed in line with national policy. May be home to native flora and fauna including bats, lizards and birds. Mangere River a protected conservation area,

Flight path: Site airport flight path/runway orientation expected to be broadly south west to north east, allowing for some variation due to mountains and other factors. Airport footprint is semi-oval. It roughly fits into the south-east corner of Kokopu and Pipiwai Roads.

3. One Tree Point west site

The basics: About 33km drive from Whangārei city centre. More than 50,000 people live within 20 to 30 minutes' drive of the site. The airport would be easy to travel to and from. Land nearby is already zoned light industrial which could enable future industrial development around the airport. The area is well connected to Northport and freight rail infrastructure which both have long-term planned upgrades.

Considerations: Potential impacts including noise from airport operations and flight paths on One Tree Point, Ruakākā and Marsden Point residents. Poupouwhenua (Marsden/Ruakākā) is an area of cultural significance. Two scheduled culturally significant sites close to the airport location. Takahiwai Marae of Patuharakeke is located to west of proposed airport site. Council's growth strategy has identified this location as a high growth area for future development, including residential. The area is susceptible to flooding. Any potential impacts to major roads including One Tree Point Road and Pyle Road East. Some watercourses in the area. May be potential wetlands that would need to be managed in line with national policy. Surrounding area home to native flora and fauna including bats, birds and lizards which may visit the site. The site geology may need significant engineering to make it suitable for development.

Flight path: Site's airport flight path/runway orientation expected to be broadly north-west to south-east, allowing for some variation due to mountains and other factors. Airport footprint is oval and runs at right angles and over the top of part of One Tree Point Road and Pyle Road East.

4. Onerahi airport:

WDC has provided no information about how far the airport is from the city centre (it is 8km driving distance). WDC has provided no estimate of how many people are within 30 minutes' drive of the site. The airport has the shortest runway Air New Zealand currently uses. Only allowed to operate because of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) allowance. Longer runway likely needed for future regional aircraft types. Possible future CAA rules tightening.

Considerations: Medium to long term implications include potential inability to operate airfield for regional commercial services. Local and regional implications if Air New Zealand could not operate from the airport. Several CAA non-compliant aspects.

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