Rotorua mayor seeks $10m airport backing

A decision on whether Environment Bay of Plenty will give $10 million toward a transtasman Rotorua airport is likely to be made next year.

Rotorua mayor Kevin Winters has met with the regional council and asked for the moneym which is just under half of the $25m needed to make the airport capable of handling flights from Australia.

Mr Winters asked for the $10m during a recent presentation to the regional development sub-committee of Environment Bay of Plenty. He said the reaction so far had been very positive.

Neither Environment Bay of Plenty chairman John Cronin nor Regional Development sub- committee chairman Athole Herbert were available for comment yesterday.

If the regional council did decide to financially support the airport, they would have to include it in their long-term plan, which is to be adopted in June.

Mr Winters said the two councils were "talking turkey" at the moment but he hoped to have a better indication in two or three months.

Environment Bay of Plenty was now looking at the benefits to the wider Bay of Plenty, he said.

Mr Winters said Tauranga mayor Stuart Crosby had told the regional council he supported them pursuing the option of Rotorua for a regional airport.

He said whatever happened with the idea of a regional airport, Rotorua's one was needed now.

"The study of the regional airport shows it is 25 years out. It is coming up with some very large numbers for an airport at Paengaroa or Pyes Pa. This one [Rotorua Regional Airport] will last until then anyway."

Mr Winters said if the regional council got on board, it would be a "real starter".

He likened it to the development of the Rotorua Energy Events Centre which only became a reality when the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust gifted $10m to the council for the development.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)