Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has today published a Request for Proposals (RFP) to undertake Economic and Social Impact Assessments relating to possible airport development scenarios.

The assessments were committed to by resolution at a recent extraordinary meeting of Council and follow Mayor Boult signalling that any significant decision-making about the district’s airports should be informed by independently conducted analysis.

QLDC Chief Executive Mike Theelen advised that as the majority stakeholder in Queenstown Airport Corporation the Council is keen to ensure that its strategic direction to the Board is well informed.

“Queenstown Lakes is well recognised as Aotearoa New Zealand’s premier visitor destination and Queenstown Airport is a key regional gateway. It’s an important connection point, not just for visitors, but for local and national business with wide-reaching significance for the district’s economy. It’s also a community asset enabling connections with friends, family and whānau far and wide,” said Mr Theelen.

The RFP requests recommended approaches for undertaking an assessment of the social and economic effects of a number of possible futures for the airport. These include growth in Wānaka Airport and / or Queenstown Airport, constraining growth at both or either location, and increased collaboration with other regional airports.

Mr Theelen acknowledged there will be some who will now scrutinise the RFP to find fault or predetermination. The RFP was deliberately neutral and simple in its approach to enable the experts to shape the right proposal. “Frankly the voice we now want to hear is from independent professionals in this space as to how best we should approach this work.”

“In addition to the economic value propositions for the district, Council is also aware of the growing effect of airport traffic on social licence, particularly through recent heightened debate based on incomplete and inaccurate information. So we need to understand and measure the social impacts, both positive and negative, of possible changes linked to the two airports to inform decision-making and the community debate.”

“Some concern has been voiced around the noise created by increased flight movements, the effects on the roading network by capping or reducing flights, and the reintroduction of regular commercial flights in Wānaka. We’re also aware there are many different perspectives on possible development which is why the Council wants to ensure that any community engagement is well-informed, balanced, and captures a wide range of community views and opinions” added Mr Theelen.

The outputs from the assessments will be used as a foundation for informing the Queenstown Airport Corporation 2020-2022 Statement of Intent that will be drafted for March 2020. The RFP will be published via the Government GETS system today (6.00pm) and proposals must be received by interested parties before 5.00pm on Friday, 4 October.

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