We dug up the second arrangement between the Council and the airport, where the Council agreed to fund the airport with an extra $1.95m towards fast-tracking the runway extension through a board of inquiry process. It's a fascinating read, especially when you look at how badly the airport misjudged the initial costings and how itContinue reading "All the reports from the airport so far"
Keeping the Airport honest is as hard as catching tadpoles with your bare hands
We need to state upfront that we do appreciate that the Wellington International Airport Limited (WIAL) is a corporation, one run by its majority shareholder Infratil, and as such has specific mandates to fulfil for its shareholders. Corporate law dictates corporate purpose – which is to make money for its shareholders. It basically says thatContinue reading "Keeping the Airport honest is as hard as catching tadpoles with your bare hands"
Stan Andis: Wellington Airport Comes to Town
It was only a matter of hours prior to my being informed that a presentation by Wellington Airport was to take place before a Council meeting on Tuesday 4th August, 2015. The topic was a (long overdue!) update on progress relating to the Airport Extension Runway - which the Council had paid almost $3m for.Continue reading "Stan Andis: Wellington Airport Comes to Town"
VIDEO: A collection of scary Wellington landings and take-offs
Watching these clips (and looking at the planes coming in during a screaming Southerly or Nor'westerly from my veranda) does really make you question the sanity of the planners who thought this was an ideal location for a runway...
A 1988 clip on safety issues at Wellington airport
A rather quaint old clip talking about the serious safety concerns at Wellington airport. Note, a very young Helene Ritchie saying that 'the extension option is the least likely'.
Monthy Python & the Wellington Runway Extension: Someone should trophy hunt this white elephant
The bumbling shambles that is the Wellington International Airport and Wellington City Council’s pipe dream for an airport expansion rolls on with more misinformation and lack of co-ordination by the various parties no doubt costing us millions of dollars with absolutely nothing to show for it but a report that says we shouldn’t go there.Continue reading "Monthy Python & the Wellington Runway Extension: Someone should trophy hunt this white elephant"
All LTP submissions about the airport (pro and con)
We have gone through the trouble of looking at all 1049 formal LTP submissions. By searching for the term 'airport', we have identified over 100 submitters that specifically mentioned the runway extension proposal and have summarised their views in this document. It is very interesting to note that 87 submitters (>81%) were strongly opposed, withContinue reading "All LTP submissions about the airport (pro and con)"
WCC Long Term Plan Guardians of the Bays submission
This was our submission, which went into some depth as to the economic folly that this runway extension in its current form posed, as well as the issues related to the consultation process. GOTB LTP Submission FINAL
WCC LTP ‘consultation’
Here was the online 'consultation' of the WCC for the runway extension as proposed in the LTP. This did not find its way into being considered an official submission, not that that was made clear to the submitters. It is very interesting to read the comments, pro and con as it becomes clear that theContinue reading "WCC LTP ‘consultation’"
WCC Final Long Term Plan
This is the final LTP, after considerable submissions against the runway extension have been heard and received. Some major caveats have been added to the ring-fenced $90m for the runway extension: The LTP now says that the Council will make a final decision on this project and whether to commit funding to construction once: WIALContinue reading "WCC Final Long Term Plan"
Guardians of the Bays 