A range of community groups have outlined the principles they wish to guide the next steps in planning for Wānaka Airport.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has signalled it will begin to work on a long-term planning process for Wānaka Airport in this financial year (2024-2025), which would “form the basis of a future masterplan”. 

Representatives of the Wānaka Airport Users Group, Wānaka Stakeholders Group Inc (WSG), Wao Aotearoa, Albert Town Community Association, Cardrona Ratepayers and Residents Society, Hāwea Community Association, Luggate Community Association, and Mt Barker & District Residents' Association met recently with the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB).

The community groups provided a memo to the board members (and Wānaka’s four elected councillors), which outlined six ‘key principles’ the groups want to guide the planning process.

“It was useful in setting out expectations of the upcoming Wānaka Airport master planning process,” WSG chair Meg Taylor told the Wānaka App.

“The feedback from local representatives was positive and all of us will be tracking the master planning process closely to see that it is independent, transparent, and locally accountable.”

WUCCB chair Simon Telfer said the session was “engaging and constructive”.

The fraught recent history of planning for Wānaka Airport means planning must be led by an independent consultant, a range of local groups says. PHOTO: Supplied

“Their insights into what would make for a successful consultation have been passed on to QLDC staff,” he said.

“Creating a master plan for [Wānaka Airport] continues to be a top priority for the board.

“Key for us is that every member of the community has the opportunity to share their thoughts on the future of a key community asset. We know that QLDC executives are actively discussing the shape and form of the consultation process and it is our expectation that the board will have clarity on this by Christmas.”

Wānaka Airport is owned by QLDC and operated by Queenstown Airport Corporation under a management services agreement. 

In 2021, the High Court found that QLDC’s granting of the Wānaka Airport lease to the Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) was unlawful. The judicial review was brought to the High Court by WSG, which believed QLDC had not consulted properly and transparently about plans for the airport.

Now, the WSG and other groups want “a local focus” to airport planning; “local governance” which represents the interests of the Upper Clutha community; timely, thorough, and transparent consultation; evaluation of environmental and infrastructure impacts; and “an independent process”. 

“Given the recent history of Wānaka Airport - this process must be led by a consultant independent of QAC, guided by the principles above,” the memo said.

The groups asked for two stages in the planning process: consultation on the scope of the planning, followed by information and options for master development plans “for full, open and transparent community consultation”.

Read more: Planning for Wānaka Airport looms