Airport's iwi claimants head to court

Maori claimants to Paraparaumu Airport land plan to take their case to the High Court as a $450 million upgrade of the airfield is set to begin.

The case will be taken under the Public Works Act 1981, with Maori claimants seeking title to nearly 70 per cent of the land taken during World War II for the Paraparaumu airfield. The airport covers about 130ha.

The claimants in the Te Whanau a te Ngarara group have for years been asking for land surplus to airport needs to be returned to them, but without success.

In 1995, the original 131ha block was sold to four Kapiti businessmen for $1.6 million.

Te Whanau a te Ngarara, acting for the original Maori and non-Maori landowners, battled for compensation, believing the land should have been offered back under the Public Works Act.

In 2004, a parliamentary committee called for a Government inquiry into the sale. An Auditor-General's inquiry found the sale process flawed but the price reasonable.

In 2006, Paraparaumu Airport Holdings, led by Sir Noel Robinson, bought the airport for "well under $40 million", and announced a 30-year development plan.

In 2008, Kapiti Coast District Council approved the redevelopment application to take bigger commercial planes.

Paraparaumu Airport Coalition, which opposed the plans, filed an appeal with the Environment Court, which has now approved the redevelopment.

Claimant Norma Ellison said there was "blood on that land. There will be no peace until it is settled. We are not going to give up."

- NZPA