City sets sights on new airport site

MORE than 20 consultants recently attended a tender briefing session at the uMhlathuze Municipality hoping to conduct the feasibility study for the relocation of the Richards Bay Airport.

The appointed service provider will determine the most appropriate piece of land for the project on a 1 000 ha agricultural site between Empangeni and eNseleni.

City Spatial and Environmental Planning Manager Brenda Strachan said the relocation of the airport is necessary to develop an ‘aerotropolis’ – a metropolitan sub-region where layout, infrastructure and the local economy will be centred around the airport (otherwise known as an airport city).

‘The feasibility for this project is about boosting business and commercial activity,’ said Strachan.

‘We do not want to recreate King Shaka Airport, but it needs to service and support our industries.

‘People and goods need to be able to come and go quickly to and from the airport.’

She said the proposed site near the N2 is the only location that has ticked all the right boxes.

‘It has limited constraints environmentally and geologically; the typography is relatively flat; there is room for expansion and it is both visible and accessible.

‘We must be able to accommodate future additional airlines and consider major Eskom power lines as well as runway requirements.

‘We also need to analyse effective economies, structure growth potential, linkages to other airports and financial implications such as operational costs.

‘Furthermore, we must align this development with the national development plan, the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone’s 50-year plan and the Port of Richards Bay’s expansion.’

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