Local contractors have been
confirmed for the next stage of the upgrade to the Taupō Airport Terminal and
the Airport carpark.
The upgrade will see the construction of a new terminal
building designed by local architects Stephenson and Turner and built by Watts
Construction, as well as improved parking facilities to be constructed by
CAMEX. This work follows on from an upgrade of the Airport’s water and
wastewater infrastructure in 2020.
The project has a budget of
$9.237 million and will be funded with $3.367 million allocated in Council’s
2018-28 Long-term Plan, a $5 million grant from the Crown’s Provincial
Development Unit, and $870,000 from the Ministry of Transport.
The existing airport terminal
was built in 1979, and chief executive Gareth Green said that the new terminal
and improved parking would be of great benefit to locals and visitors alike.
“Our district is growing and
more and more of our community are moving around the country for work or
travel,” Mr Green said. “This upgrade makes that much more convenient, but it
also means that visitors are given a really great first impression of our district
– and an equally great impression when they fly out.”
Airport manager Rhys Frearson
said that the upgrade was a considerable boost to the district’s transport
infrastructure and it would be followed at a later date by an expansion of the
Airport apron to allow for additional capacity. “At peak times, when we have
multiple scheduled passenger aircraft services on the tarmac at the same time,
the current building is really stretched beyond capacity,” he said. “The new
terminal is going make a huge difference to our operational capability, whilst
providing a great customer experience and leaving a lasting impression for
those passing through.”
The new terminal will be
constructed alongside the existing building so as to minimise disruption. Work
is scheduled to get underway in July and project manager Philip King said the
central government funding had been secured at a critical time for the
district’s growth and welcomed Council’s decision to press ahead with the
development. “We’re excited that physical works are set to get underway,” he
said. “There’s been a big team committed to getting the design perfected, and
to have secured one of our local building companies to undertake the terminal
construction tops it off for us. We’re grateful for the Provincial Development
Unit and Ministry of Transport’s financial contribution and overall support of
this project, and for recognising Taupō Airport is an important component of
our district’s connectivity infrastructure.”
Construction
is expected to get underway in July. We will keep the community updated with
disruptions but please be mindful and give yourself plenty of time to check in.
