‘Future growth’: New fire station for Hawke’s Bay Airport

At 550sq m, the new fire station is the airport's biggest capital project since the terminal expansion.

A new fire station is being built at Hawke’s Bay Airport, with construction starting this week.

Jon Nichols, chairman of Hawke’s Bay Airport, said the new station will serve the airport for the next 50 years.

He said the old station is at the end of its life and needs to be replaced.

“Our new fire station will provide a much better level of support for our emergency response team and their equipment both now and into the future, offering significant advantages to the team.“

At 550sq m, it’s the biggest capital project since the terminal expansion, and like the terminal, the station has been designed to accommodate for future growth, he said.

The current station was built in the 1960s, when the airport was a smaller and less busy aerodrome.

At the time, its location was some distance from the terminal and other tenants, but expansion of both the terminal and the airport’s general aviation community has seen the fire station surrounded by other buildings and businesses.

The new station will be strategically located at the southern end of the airport, offering “uninterrupted access” to the airfield for the fire team and other emergency services, said operations manager Deb Suisted.

“Our new station incorporates sustainable design principles such as orientation optimised for solar photovoltaics, engineered timber framing, grey water capture, and solar power which is in keeping with our sustainability goals.”

Construction, which involves local architects and contractors, is expected to take 12 months.