4 Sep 2009

Appeals against Paraparaumu airport dismissed

9:17 pm on 4 September 2009

The Environment Court has dismissed appeals against plans for a $450 million redevelopment of Paraparaumu airport.

Kapiti District Council approved the development last May, but the decision was opposed by residents on the grounds of noise, safety traffic and environmental effects.

Paraparaumu Airport Holdings says the court's decision means work will begin on Monday at the 126-hectare site.

Director Noel Robinson hopes that Air New Zealand flights to and from Auckland and Christchurch will be running by late next year.

The court has issued an interim decision and has asked the company to make some changes to its plans to address noise concerns.

Mr Robinson says he accepts those changes and they will be submitted to the court on Friday.

Opponents of the airport's redevelopment say the Environment Court has given the project the go-ahead without addressing arguments over the land's ownership.

Alan Tristram, of the Paraparaumu Airport Coalition, says the court should have considered the original land owners, from whom the Crown acquired the land through the Public Works Act before selling it.

Their descendants are represented by the group Te Whanau a Te Ngarara. It says the judgement is a blow and means the group wont receive any redress for the land acquired by the Crown.