Christchurch International Airport (CIAL) says it needs time to work through questions asked by community group Stop Central Otago Airport (SCOA).

SCOA wrote to the outgoing Christchurch International Airport (CIAL) chief executive Malcolm Johns requesting answers to 63 questions about the proposed airport project at Tarras.

In CIAL’s response the Central Otago Airport project manager Michael Singleton said that “despite a desire from some to have all this information now, the validation phase we are in will take some time to work through”.

“To that end, the questions you ask will be very similar to those we ask ourselves as we move through the validation process.”

SCOA spokesperson Zella Downing says CIAL’s refusal to answer the group's questions is “unbelievable”. 

“Our community is concerned, and it has become clear that Christchurch Airport doesn’t care,” she said. 

“Some of us have been seeking answers since plans for the new airport at Tarras were first announced over two years ago.”

But CIAL says it is still in the assessment phase of the project and it is aware any future proposal will need to meet all environmental and regulatory requirements in order to secure consents and approvals.

“We will only take forward a proposal if we are confident it meets all requirements,” Michael said.

CIAL, which is 75 percent owned by Christchurch City Council, says it expects a formal consultation process will be required if it progresses the airport project.

CIAL is unlikely to require the approval of its shareholders for the Tarras Airport project as the transaction may not meet the threshold requirement of 50 percent of the company's asset value.

“Christchurch Airport is owned 75 percent by Christchurch City Council, and 25 percent by central government,” Zella said. 

“What Mr Singleton is indicating is that even a spend on Tarras of say $600M would not require shareholder approval (based on current $1.3B asset value). That means that taxpayers and ratepayers will foot the bill if anything that goes wrong.”

Meanwhile a second lobby group, Sustainable Tarras, has called on the CIAL board to withdraw their support for the proposed new airport following the news that CEO Malcolm Johns will be leaving his role.

“Malcolm Johns has committed the business to millions of dollars of investment, with no business case, no public discussion and no social licence in Central Otago or Christchurch to do so,” Sustainable Tarras deputy chair Marilyn Duxson said.

“So much has changed since Johns first came up with the airport idea in 2018 that it would be irresponsible of the board not to revisit this strategy.”

CIAL has invested $45M to purchase 750 hectares of land for the proposed Tarras Airport and it says that once a preferred single runway alignment is established many of the potential impacts will be able to be narrowed down and shared.

PHOTO: Wānaka App