New Heliport Boost For West Coast Tourism

New Heliport Boost For West Coast Tourism

The multi-million-dollar tourism industry on the South Island's West Coast is about to get a significant boost with the construction of a purpose-built commercial heliport on the outskirts of the new Franz Alpine Resort village, near Franz Josef glacier.

Local developers Callery Holdings are planning ten helipads with flight operations centres and hangars on site, as well as public parking and a new road to the existing Franz Josef village. The company will lodge a resource consent application in the next few weeks for what is thought to be the first fully privately-funded commercial heliport of this scale in the country.

The plan is not only good news for tourists - with improved flight paths to the Glacier and return trips through ancient rainforest- but also for locals, because it'll mean reduced noise in the glacier valley.

Developers' spokesman Gavin Molloy of Franz Alpine Resort says "We have a world class attraction and world class flight seeing operators, so we want to provide a world class heliport and flight operations centre.

"The heliport has been designed in line with international best practice and will be a far cry from the current gravel landing pads with no hangars or permanent facilities on a flood-prone riverbed," he says.

Gavin Molloy expects flight-seeing operators to be interested in buying their own sites and investing in the facility. At least one helipad will be permanently designated for public operations to accommodate visiting pilots and other uses.

The proposed heliport also offers a solution to the dilemma flight seeing companies in the area are facing. The Westland District Council currently allows the companies to operate from a very basic facility on the Waiho River bed near the Franz Josef Village, but has decided the land use consent will not be extended beyond November 2008.

This has left operators with an uncertain future and no viable alternative site. Hokitika Airport Limited, the Council-owned company which operates Hokitika's airport, has looked at a number of potential sites for a new facility but no decision has yet been made on a location.

Callery Holdings' plans for the new heliport support the company's development of the Franz Alpine Resort village, three kilometres north of the glacier.

Marketing agent Murray Madgwick of Simes Limited says interest in the residential sections has been outstanding, with more than 75 sections sold to date.

"This new heliport will provide a permanent, modern, professional base for the flight seeing industry and will be a huge confidence boost for the many people who have invested in the new Franz Alpine Resort," he says.

"Some new homes are completed, others are being built and the first batch of commercially-zoned sites in the village is underway now with completion expected around Christmas. This is likely to provide bases for sales offices and other tourist support services, such as cafes and accommodation," he says.

Mr Madgwick says he is in discussions with fuel companies, moteliers and several service providers who are interested in the commercial hub.

He says many thousands of tourists take a helicopter flight over or onto the Franz Josef Glacier each year and sightseeing flights are a very large contributor to Franz Josef's tourism industry economy.

Mr Madgwick says the new development continues the strong growth in the glacier region.

"We've seen the recent opening of the Hukawai Ice Climbing Centre and announcement by South Island iwi Ngai Tahu to construct a new hot pools complex," he says. "A new permanent home for Franz Josef's helicopter fleet shows further confidence in the region and will undoubtedly be an asset to the tourism industry. "

ENDS

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