Nelson Airport and Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park agree approach enabling successful future for both organisations
Nelson City Council approves holiday park’s resource consent for long-term residents
Holiday park to withdraw Environment Court appeal against the airport runway extension
Nelson Airport and the Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park have reached an agreement ensuring a successful future for both, and providing certainty the holiday park can continue to offer a long-term residential option.
Nelson City Council has now approved the holiday park’s resource consent application, which enables long-term residential space as well as new visitor accommodation development.
The agreement provides confidence to Nelson Airport that responsible planning mechanisms remain for managing reverse sensitivity* effects on the airport.
Representatives from the airport and holiday park have been in discussions following a hearing into the airport’s planning application to enable a future runway extension. Today the two organisations announced that the talks, supported by Nelson Mayor Nick Smith, had led to a set of agreed principles for the future.
The holiday park will this week withdraw its appeal against Nelson Airport’s Private Plan Change and Notice of Requirement, which the airport considers essential to facilitate continued economic growth and connectivity for the region, and to progress a future runway extension.
Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park chair Steve Cross said: “We’re pleased we now have a basis whereby we can continue to have long-term residents and the ability to continue to develop the park. This has been an uncertain period so we’re happy and relieved to be in a strong position to look ahead to the future.”
The agreement and consent also mean the holiday park can now confidently plan to upgrade its facilities and tourism offering for the thousands of holiday makers who visit the park every year.
Nelson Airport chief executive Brendan Cook said the airport and the holiday park could continue to co-exist successfully for the wider benefit of the region.
“We’ve both been around for a long time and have a rich history, and the community wants to see us both thrive. This agreement allows us to support one another as we each develop and contribute to the region for a long time to come.”
Mayor Nick said today’s announcement was an important milestone for the city and commended Nelson Airport Ltd and Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park on the agreement. The Council, which leases the land to both, strongly encouraged the two parties to come to a compromise to avoid the uncertainty and costs of an ongoing dispute over the runway extension plan and resource consent for the long-term residents at the campground.
“This pragmatic solution is great for Nelson and welcomed by Council. I convened a meeting with the airport and holiday park earlier this year, strongly encouraging them to come to a compromise. Nelson is fortunate to have New Zealand’s busiest regional airport and largest campground, both vital to our visitor industry and this agreement helps secure the future for both.”
*Note: Reverse sensitivity describes situations when new noise-sensitive activities (such as homes, schools etc) are built near an existing airport, then try to limit normal airport effects such as noise.