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elson Airport has become a key hub for the New Zealand economy. Owned by Nelson City council and Tasman District Council, the airport has the fifth-highest return per passenger for dividends to its local authority in the country. Serving four domestic destinations; Wellington and Christchurch not the South Island and Auckland and Paraparaumu in the North, Nelson Airport is undergoing a major redevelopment to cater for the exponential growth in passenger numbers forecast. “The first time an aircraft visited Nelson on 11 November 1921 marked the beginning of a new transport
development that would markedly reduce Nelson’s isolation,” says Chief Executive Rob Evans. Almost 100 years on, this latest project to both increase capacity and modernise facilities is the biggest investment yet into one of the country’s fastest growing airports. REDEVELOPMENT The $32 million redevelopment project will be fully financed by Nelson Airport Ltd with external funding. The upgrade will not only increase capacity but greatly enhance the customer experience. Nelson Airport’s current terminal was constructed in 1974 and has been modified to keep up with modern
practices. But facilities were becoming stretched, and with ever increasing passenger numbers the cost of the upgrade was more than justifiable ro all concerned. “In the last financial year 865,000 passengers passed through the terminal, which also created a big increase in the number of people meeting and dropping off friends and family at the airport. By 2035, this is forecast to grow to 1.4 million annual customers,” says Evans. “This is a very exciting step in the evolution of Nelson Airport and its role as the gateway to our region. We’ve used the latest industry best practise techniques to determine how this facility works for
passengers and its operators, and as a result have created a plan that will see every element of the airport design improved.” TIMBER DESIGN Instead of using concrete and steel, Nelson Airport has entrusted Nelson Pine Industries with the task of using laminated veneer lumber – or LVL – for the building work. In total, around 440m3 of locallyresourced timber will be utilised in the project’s truly innovative design. The LVL portal legs are cantilevered to provide a lateral bracing system that allows for unobstructed clear open spaces
internally. Twenty-four columns also incorporate a dampening system that can absorb large seismic loads, while the roof is a lightweight stress skin panel that acts as the ceiling diaphragm. Evans admits such an ambitious project seemed a daunting prospect initially. “It took a bit of vision and courage from the architects and the airport to think about that first,” he says. “Building in timber is still not that prevalent in New Zealand so I think the fact we were able to get a functional building working and do it structurally with the timber is pretty neat.”
Evans added that the use of timber in airport terminals was rare in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific despite its use in Europe and America. The design is especially appropriate given the value of the forestry and wood processing industry in the Nelson region. “In a New Zealand sense particularly it’s very unique and it will set itself apart and it will make a statement about how that industry is so important here.” It also allows for the implementation of many sustainable elements, such as natural ventilation, improved accessibility for cyclists, the use of solar panels and mechanical windows with sensors that
Providing project confidence to Nelson Airport 027 455 4123 / info@aesculus.co.nz
www.aesculus.co.nz
manage CO2 levels and temperature. The new terminal design was created by Studio Pacific Architecture and is managed by Aesculus Project Management. Dunning Thornton and CGW are the engineers of the project will take about 24 months to complete with an anticipated completion date of late 2018, and its clear Evans is excited about the end result. “Visually it will be magnificent; locally sourced timber products, floor to ceiling windows, a spacious open plan style and a unique roof design will all work in harmony to make this space feel very special and reflect the beauty of the region. “Functionally we will increase car parking by 300 spaces to cater for 900 vehicles and create more room for taxis, buses and rental cars. We’ll have a much more intuitive layout for passengers with an increased check-in area and departure lounge, new retail space, double the
number of toilets and more food and beverage offerings.” Advanced security and surveillance technology will also play a large role in the new terminal design, with the airport company taking a proactive approach to security however and promotes security awareness with all airport operators, tenants and stakeholders. OPERATIONS Nelson Airport staff numbers have doubled in 18 months, with two major airlines servicing the airport - Air New Zealand and Jetstar, which use Q300 and ATR turboprop aircraft. A number of smaller airlines provide services to Wellington and other regional locations using Cessna Caravans, Jetstream 32, or similar aircraft. Air NZ also has a large turboprop maintenance facility based in Nelson which is beginning to attract overseas airlines for servicing of turboprop aircraft. As well as having a strong tourism partnership with Nelson Regional Development Agency, the airport is also a training base, with Nelson Aviation College on-site which is a preferred pilot provider for Air NZ. Helicopter company HNZ Global is also headquartered in Nelson, employing approximately 140 personnel from 8 locations throughout New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and Antarctica. A FUTURE WORTH INVESTING IN “Nelson Airport has a vital role to play in the success of the Nelson and Tasman regions and we need to ensure that we
plan well for this opportunity,” says Evans. The Master Plan behind the expansion has reviewed growth parameters for the Runway, Apron and Terminal, Landside forecourt, Ground Transport and Landside development, enabling both aeronautical and non-aeronautical development. “Globally, the traditional business model for airports has evolved to include large proportions of non-aeronautical revenues. Similarly, we want to explore how Nelson Airport can expand revenue streams, ensuring an innovative business model for
the future.” Evans is expecting rapid growth over the next 12 months. By 2018, over one million passengers are expected to travel through Nelson Airport, increasing to 1.4 million by the end of 2035. “By Master Planning we mitigate the risk of development conflict and enable ourselves to set up the campus to achieve our strategic objectives. This planning process will benefit our customers as they travel through or work at Nelson Airport, ensuring a well-planned, efficient and friendly airport,” Evans concludes.
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