Cape Winelands Airport awaits decision on environmental assessment for construction

CAPE Winelands Airport is awaiting the results of its final Environmental Application Report, also known as an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), submitted in May, to hear if they have the green light to build what is to become Cape Town's own ‘Lanseria International Airport’.

- THEOLIN TEMBO. [e-mail]

Managing Director of Cape Winelands Airport, Deon Cloete, who was also the former General Manager of Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), presented an update to several journalists regarding the development of another airport for the City.

Cape Winelands Airport, previously known as Fisantekraal Airport, has been in existence for over 80 years and is currently used for training and private aircraft charters, with four runways.

The airport will have a 3.5km runway, and they have also completed an application for an international licence, as “we hope to have some international services”.

Cloete said that they have been working on the airport’s grand plans for the last five years already, with them having submitted the EIR in May this year, which was completed by an environmental practitioner who oversees their application.

“That submission has gone in, and after your submission, the competent authority has a timeline in which they have to make a decision, which is either ‘yes, this project can proceed’ or ‘no, this project can’t proceed.

“We hope that decision will be coming through approximately at the end of next month (October). That decision is a very important one, where we hope to get the green light for this project.”

Cloete said that there have been engagements with several funders for this project and that they expect the first build to cost between R8 billion and R10bn.