Second airport plan flies again

Plans for a new international airport for Auckland are back on the table just months after being shelved by the Government.

Waitakere, Rodney District and North Shore councils, along with private airport company Infratil are re-submitting a proposal to turn part of Whenuapai Airbase into a second international airport.

Proponents say Whenuapai could host budget airlines offering cheap fares domestically and across the Tasman and could reduce driving times for locals who otherwise have to fight traffic out to Auckland International Airport in Mangere.

And Air Force officials have said they have no objection to sharing facilities as long as security conditions are met.

The campaign to convert the 311ha base into a second commercial airport for Auckland stalled late last year when Cabinet refused to discuss disposal options for the property, saying the Air Force would be using it until at least 2010.

The announcement stymied the joint plan of Waitakere City Council and Infratil - who also own 66 per cent of Wellington Airport - to create a short-haul airport catering for cut-price airlines. The pair responded with a proposal to run the base as a "dual use" airport, with military and civilian operations side-by-side.

Now Waitakere council is leading a second charge, supported by Rodney District Council and North Shore City, who resolved at a fiery and closely-contested meeting late last month to investigate a partnership with Waitakere.

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey said he hoped the three mayors would meet Chief of Defence Air Marshall Bruce Ferguson by early April to discuss possible scenarios for the base.

He said Cabinet had laid down a clear path for the local authorities to negotiate directly with the Air Force.

"I am looking forward to an option from (Ferguson) that gives us an opportunity for a long-term future," he said.

"He doesn't have to pay for it. We will pay for it."

Air Force spokesman Squadron leader Ric Cullinane said the Air Force had no problem with dual-use military and civilian operations, citing the example of Woodbourne base near Blenheim.

But he said certain conditions would have to be met, particularly around security for defence operations, and the airport's private operators would have to shoulder all the project's expenses.

"Defence and Air Force are quite clear: we don't have any problem in principle, but we do have areas that must be satisfied for us," he said.

Infratil executive Tim Brown welcomed the support of North Shore City and called on Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard to back the proposal, which he said would be of "undeniable" benefit to the city.

"Mayoral support could galvanise a sense in the corridors of power down in Wellington to have another look," he said.

But Mr Hubbard has stopped short of fully backing the proposal, saying though he supports it in principle the council must also protect its shareholding in Auckland Airport.

Other councils in the region remain opposed to the plan, with Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis describing it as "a lost cause" and Auckland Regional Council chair Mike Lee saying it is an example of mayors getting distracted and "chasing red herrings".

Many Waitakere and North Shore residents also oppose the plan, citing fears of noise and air pollution, and a potential negative effect on property values.