A WIN FOR THE BAY!
It’s great news to be able to celebrate the approval of extensions to the Hawkes Bay Airport runway by the Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Simon Power. The Ministers approval ensures that all shareholders in the airport are now supportive of the extension and completes what has been a long process of negotiation.
This is a project that Craig Foss and I together with the regions Mayors and the Airport Board, led by John Pallairet, have been working towards for over 4 years.
A contract has now been let by Hawkes Bay Airport Ltd to Higgins Contracting Limited to proceed with the extension of the runway to 1,750 metres from its current length of 1,310 metres. The scheduled date for completion is May/June 2011.
The overall cost of the development is expected to be around $5.5 million, which is within the board’s original provision of $6 million. This is great news and shows the benefit of building in the current competitive environment.
The extension will make the airport jet capable for domestic jets currently operating in New Zealand or known to be ordered by airlines operating in the region. It provides an opportunity in time for airlines to commence scheduled jet services from Hawke’s Bay Airport. While Air New Zealand offers a very good service, I regularly get complaints about the cost of this service. The region needs to have the benefit of competition and the extension does create a platform for a more competitive environment.
The extension also helps to future proof the airport. It provides a stepping stone for Hawke's Bays growth and also puts a preliminary stake in the ground for future Trans Tasman opportunities. I hasten to add that Trans Tasman services have proven to be extremely difficult in other regions and as a result I believe the Bay needs to think long and hard before we seriously contemplate this next step.
I’d like to thank all those who have collaborated on the project with a special mention to local Iwi who have been very supportive. It really has been a regional effort and shows what can be achieved when all of us across the Bay put our minds to the same goal.
It’s great news to be able to celebrate the approval of extensions to the Hawkes Bay Airport runway by the Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Simon Power. The Ministers approval ensures that all shareholders in the airport are now supportive of the extension and completes what has been a long process of negotiation.
This is a project that Craig Foss and I together with the regions Mayors and the Airport Board, led by John Pallairet, have been working towards for over 4 years.
A contract has now been let by Hawkes Bay Airport Ltd to Higgins Contracting Limited to proceed with the extension of the runway to 1,750 metres from its current length of 1,310 metres. The scheduled date for completion is May/June 2011.
The overall cost of the development is expected to be around $5.5 million, which is within the board’s original provision of $6 million. This is great news and shows the benefit of building in the current competitive environment.
The extension will make the airport jet capable for domestic jets currently operating in New Zealand or known to be ordered by airlines operating in the region. It provides an opportunity in time for airlines to commence scheduled jet services from Hawke’s Bay Airport. While Air New Zealand offers a very good service, I regularly get complaints about the cost of this service. The region needs to have the benefit of competition and the extension does create a platform for a more competitive environment.
The extension also helps to future proof the airport. It provides a stepping stone for Hawke's Bays growth and also puts a preliminary stake in the ground for future Trans Tasman opportunities. I hasten to add that Trans Tasman services have proven to be extremely difficult in other regions and as a result I believe the Bay needs to think long and hard before we seriously contemplate this next step.
I’d like to thank all those who have collaborated on the project with a special mention to local Iwi who have been very supportive. It really has been a regional effort and shows what can be achieved when all of us across the Bay put our minds to the same goal.
