- Hon Shane Jones
Wairoa Airport will receive a $4.2 million upgrade to help support the region's growing needs, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says.
"Wairoa Airport is critical infrastructure for the area, supporting commercial air passenger services, vital health transport and logistics during extreme weather events," Mr Jones says.
The New Zealand Air Ambulance Service transports more than 400 patients each year to and from the Wairoa community from its headquarters at Hawke's Bay Airport.
"When roads are cut off, the airport becomes an even more vital lifeline, as we saw during Cyclone Gabrielle when it handled more than 100 emergency flights in quick succession.
"This upgrade will extend and improve the runway's operating capability, improving the area's resilience and increasing potential for economic growth," Mr Jones says.
The upgrade will be funded with a $3m grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund and $1.2m from the North Island Weather Event fund. Wairoa District Council, which owns and operates the airport, will manage the project and fund future maintenance.
The runway will be extended from 914m to 1250m. Improvements will also be made to the airport's drainage, lighting and fencing to enable 24-hour operation, along with upgrades to the airport's vertical guidance systems.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026. Around 20 to 25 full-time staff will be working on the project at its busiest point, with locals employed where possible.
