Appeals lodged against Nelson Airport runway plan

Nelson Airport’s future runway extension hit some turbulence last week. The airport’s private plan change to enable the extension was appealed to the Environment Court by three Tāhunanui organisations, while an expectation that the airport improve its relationship with the surrounding community was debated by the region’s two councils. It was announced last Tuesday that the Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park, the Nelson Golf Club, and the Tāhunanui Business and Citizens Association have all separately appealed Plan Change 30. The operations of the holiday park and golf club would be severely disrupted by the airport’s plans, while the community association fears the impact the plan will have on the wider suburb. Holiday park CE David Pattinson said the plan change was “untenable” for the campground. The park has spent almost half a million dollars challenging the plan change and now will face additional costs appealing it. It cost community group Save the Maitai about $350,000 to appeal Private Plan Change 28 in the last Nelson-based Environment Court appeal. “I am extremely frustrated thinking about what I could have done with that money constructively for the park,” Pattinson said. “However, when you’re faced with an event that will terminate us, we’re left with no choice but to appeal.” He said new “onerous” building restrictions would make it “difficult, if not impossible” to develop the campground and would leave them unable to meet the future demands of visitors.<br/>