Christchurch International Airport Limited (CIAL) will host three drop-in sessions about a proposed airport in Tarras next week.

The company revealed plans to develop a jet-capable international airport on 750ha of land at Tarras in July 2020 and the upcoming sessions will provide an opportunity for the public to learn about work CIAL has undertaken since, CIAL chief strategy and stakeholder officer Michael Singleton said.

“Over the last two years, our mahi has focussed on growing our understanding of the region, the proposed site environment,” Michael said.

“Over that period, we have been asked a wide range of questions and are now in a position where we can share further information about what we have learnt. 

“We hope this will go some way to answering those questions.”

CIAL has been criticised for not providing more information and the airport proposal has had considerable community and expert opposition.

More than 100 people attended a heated meeting held by CIAL in 2020 where residents criticised the company’s decision to purchase $45M of land before engaging with the community, shared their opposition to the airport and raised environmental concerns.

Those concerns have been echoed by new groups such as Sustainable Tarras, and a group of academics which told CIAL last year the airport project should be shelved.

Read more: Professors say ‘no’ to proposed airport in Tarras

Most recently, Stop Central Otago Airport (SCOA), a local lobby group formed in the wake of the announcement, sent 63 questions about the proposed airport project last September and condemned CIAL’s refusal to respond in full.

Michael said considerable work has been undertaken over the past two years and the drop-in sessions will provide an opportunity to “engage with the information”.

Work has covered weather, water, landscape, land transport, and ecology, and more detailed aeronautical analysis, including flight paths and determining a preferred runway alignment, he said.

At drop in sessions “we’ll be on-hand to answer questions and talk with you about the project”, Michael said.

The sessions will take place at the Tarras Community Hall (August 29), Cromwell Presbyterian Hall (August 30), and Edgewater Resort Wānaka (August 31).

Central Otago Airport Project Drop-in: Tarras All three sessions will run from 2pm-7pm.

PHOTO: Wānaka App