Aviation-themed development takes flight

Thursday, 17 April 2025

A new aviation-themed development is underway in Te Kowhai

Aviation enthusiasts can now retire in style at Hamilton’s own aviation themed residential and business development just 15 minutes from the CBD.

The first sections are up for sale at Te Kowhai Airpark with construction on the first houses expected to begin by Christmas.

Joint venture partner Dan Readman describes the Airpark as a bit like marinas where people retire to live on their boat, but with an “aviation flavour”.

“It's got a special Airpark Zone, it's got a commercial zone.”

Leonard Gardner, Director - Foster Group, and Dan Readman, AirNZ Pilot and Co-founder of Te Kowhai Airpark near Hamilton.

There'll be community facilities, golf carts and they have council approval for restaurants, bars, hotels, “everything”.

Rather than just a runway with houses, the project partners say the vision is for a purpose built “aviation community”.

There’s a special Airpark Zone to enable planes to take-off and land in the area.

So far they’ve sold seven of 12 premium sites along the main runway, not all to pilots, some “aviation enthusiasts” too.

Readman has already put his name on one of the “front row” sections which have a more direct access to the runway.

Buyers will become part-owners of the aerodrome when it morphs into an incorporated society.

“They’re a bit like your beach front properties with a view,” said Readman.

In total, the Airpark can accommodate 104 residential sections which will be a mix of medium density lifestyle living, larger blocks, all the way to “really modern apartments”.

“Every section’s got the ability to fly a plane into.”

Sections range in price from $750,000 to a million, with the smallest sections 2,500sqm and the largest 4,000sqm.

Te Kowhai Airpark development underway near Hamilton, seen from the air.

Along with owning your own property and having access to the runway, joint venture partner Leonard Gardner said you’ll become a part-owner of the aerodrome, too.

“Buying a site off a plan doesn’t just get you a piece of land to build a great house, it gets you a seat at the table of a development like no other.”

Work is underway to prepare the first sections for sales at Te Kowhai Airpark.

Owners will share a range of facilities and resources like a flight training room, an arrivals and departure lounge bar, and a social lounge.

While he’s not passionate about aviation, Gardner says he is passionate about community.

Dan Readman’s classic Russian built YAK32 from the 1980s, which sits alongside the 60 other privately-owned aeroplanes housed in the hangars.

“Wherever there's a common interest, a unity of purpose, is where a community forms.”

Gardner, who’s the commercial development director at Foster Group, the group behind Hamilton’s Regional Theatre development and Union Square, says Airpark is the “ultimate realisation” of this, and they want it to be vibrant.

“The ones that have the most life are the ones that have people living in there, be it on the weekends or ideally full time, and that's actually where we create the best community.”

The process since the group took over ownership in 2016 to get to physical work has not been without challenges, says Readman.

There have been two environment court hearings and community engagement to quell rumours circulating the site was to become Te Kowhai International Airport.

The group received resource consent in 2024 to turn the land surrounding the aerodrome into a Special Airpark Zone, and create a residential and business community on the land.

“It’s actually about creating a community around aviation,” said Readman.

It’s not exclusive to pilots, but Readman says it’s a “gamechanger” for recreational pilots and those who “live and breathe aviation”.

“Building a lifestyle around flying is a dream for a lot of people, but there are many logistical challenges for aviators in New Zealand.

“The drive from here to Auckland Airport, it’s probably not that different from North Shore to Auckland Airport in terms of time frames.

“I can have a better lifestyle down here for my enjoyment and then I’ve got my job at Auckland airport.

“I've got friends in other airlines worldwide that would be quite interested in having an aeroplane here, but they might be coming and going.

“They come back and slot back into the community.”

The idea for an “aviation community” at Te Kowhai isn’t new, and has it’s roots 65 years back with aviation pioneer Max Clear.

Clear established the Te Kowhai Airfield in 1967 putting the aerodrome on the map with his microlight planes and production of Bantam aircraft in the 1980s.

It’s since become known as a hub for manufacturing microlight aircrafts.

Readman’s parents Barry and Sally moved to the farm next-door when Readman was 11, later establishing their own aeroplane cover business Barsal which they still operate from one of the hangars.

Readman’s own aviation career began at the aerodrome with flying lessons for he and his siblings at Te Kowhai aerodrome when he was 13.

“My father was very passionate with aviation but didn't have the opportunity.”

“He had five sisters and lived in Christchurch, they used to not go to school apparently, and would go out to Woodbourne Air Force Base and watch the aeroplanes.”

He did learn to fly later in life at age 50, and Readman himself went on to become an Air New Zealand pilot.

“There’s something of an entrepreneurial spirit in the soil here at Te Kowhai,” said Readman.

“Te Kowhai Airpark is essentially a continuation of this pioneering spirit and vision.”