MARCH 2011 A proposal of national significance – How to have your say on Queenstown Airport Corporation’s Notice of Requirement Queenstown Airport Corporation lodged a proposal with the an apron for the loading or unloading of cargo, refuelling, Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to alter a designation parking or maintenance of Code C aircraft (small to medium- relating to the Queenstown Airport. sized passenger aircraft) Queenstown Airport Corporation is an approved requiring authority (under section 167 of the Resource Management Act 1991) and has given notice of a requirement for an alteration to Designation hangars for Code C aircraft the formation of car parking areas 2 (Aerodrome Purposes Designation) of the Queenstown Lakes access roads and internal roads District Plan. any associated infrastructure, earthworks or landscaping The alteration seeks to extend the designation over land to the ancillary activities. south of the main Queenstown Airport runway. This land area to be designated is approximately 19.1 hectares as shown on the map on the back page of this factsheet. What has Queenstown Airport Corporation given notice of? Queenstown Airport Corporation lodged the proposal with the EPA on 23 December 2010. The EPA then made a recommendation to the Minister for the Environment (the Minister) about how the Notice of Requirement could be considered and decided. After considering the recommendation, the Minister decided to direct that the matter be referred to and decided by the Environment Court. The role of the Environment Court is to hear and The proposed extension of the existing Aerodrome Purposes decide on the Notice of Requirement. Designation is intended to provide for an expansion of airport operations including: buildings and activities for airport-related purposes an apron for the loading or unloading of cargo, refuelling, parking or maintenance of corporate jets, general aviation and helicopters Why has the Minister directed the proposal to the Environment Court? The Minister determined that this is a proposal of national helicopter hangars significance because it is consistent with the following relevant helicopter Final Approach and Take-off areas (FATO) factors of national significance under s142 (3) of the RMA: helicopter Touch-down and Lift-off area (TALO) (c) affects or is likely to affect a structure, feature, place, or area of a Fixed Base Operator (FBO) terminal general aviation hangars national significance Queenstown is a world renowned tourist destination and expansion of the airport is likely to affect Queenstown, which is considered to be a place or area of national significance. MARCH 2011 2 E N V I R O N M E N TA L P R OT E C T I O N AU T H O R I T Y Effects will likely relate to the impacts of increased air traffic generated by the facilities provided by the altered designation including noise, landscape impacts and air and ground traffic impacts in addition to the economic impact on the area from increased passenger numbers and aerodrome service delivery. Effects are likely in respect of the use of Queenstown as a destination in itself and as a gateway to the Otago and Southland regions, including Fiordland. What are the implications of the Minister’s direction of the proposal to the Environment Court? This Direction does not indicate that the Minister either approves or opposes the proposal; only that it is considered to be of national (i) affects or is likely to affect more than 1 region or district significance. The Proposal will be judged on its merits in accordance Tourism is a key contributor to the country’s GDP and the economic with the provisions of the RMA. The Environment Court – not the effects associated with tourists utilising the Queenstown Airport Minister – will make the decision. are likely to extend beyond Queenstown and into the wider Otago region and further afield into Southland and specifically Fiordland. Queenstown Airport is an international airport and now qualifies as a Specified Airport Company under the Airport Authorities Act 1966 (a Specified Airport is an airport company that, in its last accounting period, received revenue that exceeded $10 million, or such other amount of revenue that the Governor-General may from Environment Court As the Minister has directed that this matter be referred to the Environment Court for consideration and decision, the applicant is required to file a notice of motion with the Court and a supporting affidavit to commence the Court proceedings. This is served on time to time prescribe for the purposes of this definition by Order in the local authority and everyone who makes a submission. The EPA Council). Only Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown must then provide the Court with material relevant to the matter Airports have such status. that it has gathered. The Court will determine its own procedure Queenstown Airport is currently the fastest growing airport in Australasia and is pivotal to the economic growth of the Queenstown Lakes District and the Otago and Southland Regions. It is the most significant revenue generating airport outside the three main metropolitan airports in New Zealand. The Queenstown Airport is a strategic transport link, both regionally and nationally for both international and domestic travellers. It is the and has all its usual powers in hearing and deciding this application. Unlike a board of inquiry process, a timeframe for deciding the matter does not apply. A decision by the Environment Court can only be appealed on points of law to the High Court. How can I have a say in this process? first destination of some international tourists in New Zealand and impacts the experience of those tourists and their overall perception Any person can make a submission on this application by of this country as a tourist destination. Queenstown Airport Corporation. The closing date for submissions is 5:00pm, Friday 8 April 2011. Please see the ‘How to fill in the submission form’ section for information on what to include in your submission. The EPA will refer the submissions to the Environment Court. Where can I view the Proposal? After considering the recommendation, the Minister decided to direct that the matter be A copy of the Notice of Requirement and accompanying referred to and decided by the Environment information can be found on Queenstown Airport Corporation’s Court. The role of the Environment Court is to website: www.queenstownairport.co.nz/images/uploads/lot6.pdf. hear and decide on the Notice of Requirement. They can also be viewed at the following locations during normal office hours: MARCH 2011 E N V I R O N M E N TA L P R OT E C T I O N AU T H O R I T Y Environmental Protection Authority Head Office, Environment House, 23 Kate Sheppard Place, Wellington Ministry for the Environment Auckland Office, Level 6, Tower Centre, 45 Queen Street, Auckland Local authority Queenstown Lakes District Council: Queenstown Office – 10 Gorge Road, Queenstown Wanaka Office – 47 Ardmore Street, Wanaka Local Library Queenstown Library – 10 Gorge Road, Queenstown Making a submission How can I get a submission form? How long is the submission period? The submission period is 20 working days, which is the standard submission period under the RMA. Your submission must be received by the EPA no later than 5.00pm, Friday 8 April 2011 at: Environmental Protection Authority Queenstown Airport Corporation’s Proposal PO Box 10720 The Terrace Wellington 6143 Or email: [email protected] Or fax: 04 439 7700 Please mark in the subject line: ‘Queenstown Airport Corporation’. You must also send a copy of your submission to the applicant, Queenstown Airport Corporation, whose address for service is: Queenstown Airport Corporation C/o Mitchell Partnerships Attn: Alison Noble PO Box 489 Please download a submission form from the EPA’s website: Dunedin 9054 www.epa.govt.nz/applications/queenstown-airport or use the EPA Or email: [email protected]. contact details provided below to request one. Public meeting What happens now? A public meeting to discuss the Environment Court process, and what it means to be a submitter in that process, will be held at the 1. A public notice giving details of the Minister’s Direction for Queenstown Events Centre, Joe O’Connell Drive, Frankton, from the Queenstown Aerodrome Extension will appear in national 7.00pm to 9.00pm on Thursday, 17 March 2011. newspapers on Saturday 12 March 2011 and in The Mirror on For more details on this meeting or if you have any questions about Wednesday 16 March 2011. making a submission please contact the EPA on 0800 722 667 or by email at [email protected]. 2. 5.00pm, Friday 8 April 2011 (20 working days after the first How to fill in the submission form Your submission form must be in writing, signed and dated (no signature is required for an electronic submission), and it must date of public notification). 3. 2. 3. your name and address, including a phone number, fax The EPA receives all the submissions and then forwards them to the Environment Court. include the following information: 1. Submissions must be received by the EPA no later than 4. When the Minister refers an application to the Environment number and email address (if applicable) Court, Environment Court process will be followed. details of the whole or part of the Notice of Requirement that For further information on this process please refer to the you are making your submission on Environment Court’s website at www.justice.govt.nz/courts/ whether you support, support in part, oppose, oppose in part, environment-court. or are neutral to all or part of the Notice of Requirement 5. People who have made a submission to the EPA on an 4. the reasons for your views application referred to the Environment Court have the right 5. the decision you wish the Environment Court to make, including to be heard at these proceedings. the general nature of any conditions or changes sought 6. whether or not you wish to be heard at a hearing in respect of your submission. 3 What is the role of the Queenstown Lakes District Council in the process? What is the role of the EPA? The EPA notifies the Minister’s Direction and provides service and support to the Environment Court. The EPA must serve a copy of the public notice on each owner and occupier of any land to which the The Queenstown Lakes District Council will prepare a report on matter relates and each owner or occupier of any land adjoining any key planning issues relative to the proposal under s149G(3) of land to which the matter relates. Under s149G, the EPA must provide the RMA for the Environment Court. The Council can also make a the Environment Court with: submission and attend the hearing as a submitter. If the Environment Court confirms the Notice of Requirement, the Queenstown Lakes District Council would perform the local authority’s role in relation to the Designation. Published in March 2011 by the Environmental Protection Authority PO Box 10720, The Terrace, Wellington 6143 Publication number: EPA 21 the matter that has been the subject of the direction all information received relating to the matter any submissions received on the matter.