Council upsets heliport developer

The developer of a $1.5 million heliport at Franz Josef is angry the Westland District Council has decided to retain its own facility.

Franz Josef Heliport, a subsidiary of Callery Holdings, expects its 10-pad site near the township to be operating within two weeks.

Franz Josef heli-tourism operators use a council-owned site near the Waiho River that is run by Hokitika Airport Ltd, part of council-owned Westland District Holdings.

The council had resolved to close its facility when the new heliport was operational, but on Thursday it revoked this decision after helicopter operators said they did not want to use the new 3.5-hectare site.

One helicopter operator welcomed the move yesterday, but not Franz Josef Heliport director Gavin Molloy.

"The council has done this to protect its own commercial interest," he said.

Molloy said he had undertaken the development on the understanding the new heliport would become the primary site.

"The council has been saying it will close its heliport, and led us up the garden path, asking us to pay for the resource consent process."

Now that the council's site will stay open, Hokitika Airport intends to invest $300,000 in it over the next year.

Chairman Bruce Smith said this included extending a wall protecting the site from the Waiho River, which he said would also benefit the township.

Mark Quickfall, chief executive of Totally Tourism, which owns one helicopter company and has shares in another, said the council had made a "sensible and logical" decision.

The new site was prone to fog, forced pilots to descend steeply when returning from glacier trips and pushed them into areas the companies had agreed with the Department of Conservation to avoid, he said.

He had been looking for alternatives but would now stay at the council site, which was the "best location to do what we do".

Operators use nine pads at the council site.

"We are very supportive for the simple reason that the new heliport doesn't suit our operation. Logic has prevailed," Quickfall said.

Westland Mayor Maureen Pugh said operators now had a choice of heliports. She did not anticipate any long-term financial gain for the council.

"The council felt that by keeping the existing heliport open they weren't preventing Gavin opening his as well," she said.

"I am sure Callery Holdings aren't happy with that, but going by the submissions we've received, there will be some happy people in Franz Josef."

- © Fairfax NZ News