Nelson Airport is a vital gateway for our region. We are more dependent on air travel than most regions because of our geographical isolation. It’s important for business, tourism, exports, access to tertiary healthcare and people being able to travel to connect with family and enjoy holidays.
Our two Councils, which own the airport 50/50, visited it last week to get an update on the airport company’s development plans. Councils also met to discuss improvements in its governance structure. Nelson City Council last Thursday gave its final approval for Private Plan Change 30 that enables the runway extension and determined it will take effect next Tuesday, 14 July.
Our goal for the airport company is for it to be commercially successful, support the region’s development, provide quality services for the travelling public and plan well for its future growth.
There is much that is good about our airport. Its close proximity to the city is a competitive advantage. The terminal building, opened in 2019, is beautifully designed and speaks well of the region. It has the capacity for growth from the current 850,000 to 1.4 million passengers a year.
Airports, like all of Council’s infrastructure assets, require ongoing investment. The upgrade of the terminal apron cost $10 million and is now complete. The airport is low-lying, vulnerable to king tides and intense rainfall, so major improvements are being made to its stormwater systems.
The covered walkway will be extended later this year to provide sheltered and quieter access to the southern gates. This will improve the customer experience, particularly for Originair and Sounds Air passengers. Solar panels are being installed to help reduce the airport’s energy costs. The company is also this year taking over responsibility from Airways NZ for the airport’s aviation lights.
We are NZ’s busiest regional airport but with one of the shortest runways. The decision on when to extend the runway will be largely dependent on Air NZ’s decisions about its choice of aircraft for our key services to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Nelson Airport is now in a much stronger position with Plan Change 30 sorted to face the future.
