Rotorua School Fights Airport Block on New Gymnasium Project

A Rotorua school is fighting a decision by its neighbour Rotorua Airport to block plans to expand its buildings. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata has been located on Te Ngae Road for nearly 40 years, sitting directly beneath flight paths for take-offs and landings. The school currently has 190 students ranging from new entrants to high school age and wants to build a new multi-purpose gymnasium. Because of its location, Rotorua Airport is an affected party for the resource consent application and chose not to give approval for the proposal. Tumuaki Dr Cathy Dewes expressed great surprise at the objection, noting the school has operated next to the airport for decades and previously completed noise insulation measures.

Airport and History

Rotorua Airport CEO Nicole Brewer stated that the airport has legal duties under health and safety and civil aviation laws to assess how operations impact safety on the ground. Brewer said initial safety checks found unresolved safety matters, meaning the airport could not provide affected-party approval. The land at Rotokawa was occupied by Ngāti Uenukukōpako long before the airport existed before the Crown and local authorities compulsorily acquired it in the late 1950s and 1960s.

Context

Land disputes and historical grievances involving indigenous Māori land are an important part of many contemporary resource decisions in New Zealand. Independent hearing processes exist to help resolve disagreements when neighbours cannot reach a mutual agreement on resource consents.