Second airport consultation period set after community calls heard
The Wānaka community has more time to have a say on the future of the airport, after the first round of feedback was completed.
French consultant group Egis has been contracted by the Queenstown Lakes District Council to seek independent feedback from stakeholders and community members, and it has extended the timeline of the independent review.
In June, Egis hosted two in-person community sessions in Wānaka, complemented by an online feedback platform that remained open until July 15.
Participants now have the opportunity to provide further input during a second round of consultation.
In June, the Wānaka Stakeholders Group launched its own proposal for the airport, advocating for a development model centred on strong local input.
Group chairwoman Meg Taylor said the council was proceeding with a "dual process" — an application for qualifying aerodrome certification and a Wānaka Airport future review, both to be completed by 2027.
Ms Taylor said the council was asking the Upper Clutha community what it wanted to happen at the airport, but risked pre-determining that outcome.
The second input period will be from August 25 to September 18 via letstalk.qldc.govt.nz/Wānaka-airport-future-review.
This will be supported by two in-person drop-in sessions on August 29 and 30, venues and times to be confirmed.
Kerr Forbes, aviation lead for Egis in Australia and New Zealand, said "we've heard clearly from the community that they value this opportunity to be involved, and they want more time to contribute".
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