An application to extend Queenstown Airport has been referred to the Environment Court.
The Queenstown Airport Corporation has applied to expand its area by 19 hectares in order to accommodate the growth of traffic over the next 30 years.
Environment Minister Nick Smith says Queenstown is the gateway to an iconic South Island region, with growing tourist numbers.
He says he considers the application to be of national significance, and the Environment Court is the best place to hear it.
Dr Smith says the court is already considering applications on the airport's zoning and the timing of flights, so it makes sense to have the latest application considered in the same forum.
