Queenstown Airport backs off raising noise limits after massive opposition from residents

Tuesday, 2 October 2018

Increasing tourism numbers in Central Otago have to lead to debate around air travel in the region. (Video first published in October 2018)

In the face of strong opposition Queenstown Airport has - for now - backed away from increasing aircraft noise limits to allow for future tourism growth.

Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) chief executive Colin Keel said it would complete a Wanaka Airport master plan and await the outcome of other long term planning for Wanaka and Frankton before taking the noise change proposal any further.

'It does not mean it is off the table.'

QAC received more than 1500 responses to its public consultation and just over 90 per cent were opposed to the idea of expanding noise boundaries to provide for planned growth of up to 5.1 million passengers a year.

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Limiting additional visitor numbers to Queenstown by limiting flights was a common theme in feedback on a controversial proposal to change noise boundaries at the town's airport.

Opponents, which included local residents, businesses and three schools, were concerned raised noise levels would have a negative impact on quality of life and health, on the natural environment, and would adversely affect potential commercial developments in the area.

About two thirds saw no benefit in the long term growth proposed by the airport on the grounds that increasing tourist numbers would have a detrimental impact on the visitor experience, while imposing significant costs on residents and the wider community.

When asked how to avoid or mitigate aircraft noise, respondents wanted flights to remain at current levels or be reduced, with additional forecast growth directed to other locations - such as Invercargill - or to a new airport on another site.

The latter option was also raised by Air New Zealand which supported the proposed change to noise boundaries along with 53 other respondents, most of whom live outside the affected area.

Keel said it was clear from the public consultation that many people linked any increase in airport activity to wider questions around regional growth, and for that reason they needed to integrate airport planning with that being done by other organisations, particularly Queenstown Lakes District Council.

'We're trying to strike the right balance between creating a sustainable platform for long term growth, and the effect of such growth on the community,' he said.

Frankton Community Association chair Glyn Lewers said the decision to 'hit the pause button' was pleasing for thousands of residents who would be affected by any increase in noise limits.

He now wants the Queenstown Lakes District Council to take the lead in coming up with a vision for managing the destination, and he said simply developing Wanaka airport was not the answer.

'I don't want to see them shifting the problem from Queenstown to Wanaka, I don't want to see either destination become just a transport hub; they're both jewels in the tourism crown and we don't want to be spoiling them with mass movements of visitors.

'What we don't want to see is that in the next 12 to 24 months we're having this same conversation again.'

Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult said the the airport noise debate had highlighted the importance of looking at the broader implications of visitor growth.

'Council certainly supports an integrated approach as suggested by the QAC team to ensure the right outcome for the community, for visitors to our district and for the associated tourism sector.

'The future growth of the district, what that may look like and how that impacts our community, is something that this Council is very focused on.'