Houses to be demolished around Wellington Airport

File photo / Mark Mitchell

The fate of some houses around Wellington Airport's a sad, but necessary reality.

22 dwellings are set to be demolished as the airport aims to manage noise.

Residents have six months to move out.

A further 700 properties will either be sound-proofed, or be bought by the airport.

Eastern-ward councillor Simon Marsh says understandably the heartbreak of residents moving will cloud understanding but the airport's being as reasonable as possible.

He says in a lot of places you'd have been told 'we're buying your house, clear out'.

Mr Marsh says they're trying to make it as painless as possible - but it's never going to be painless.