Demolition With a Sustainability Focus
A key milestone has been the completed demolition of the old terminal’s Western end. Thanks to careful planning and safety management by our construction team, this process went incredibly well.
A particular highlight is that 88% of all demolition materials were diverted from landfill. This terrific result is thanks to the meticulous approach led by LT McGuinness Ltd and Feilding-based Central Demolition. Examples of recycling include:
- Metal has been sorted and melted down for reuse
- Concrete has been crushed and screened to be reused as aggregate in roading and infrastructure projects
- Ceiling tiles and gib will be processed into compost and fertiliser
- Timber will be pulped and used in biofuel.
We are very aware of the airport’s role in facilitating regional economic activity, and to this end, we strongly support the use of local suppliers and labourers where it is practical and makes economic sense. We’ve worked with LT McGuinness to ensure local suppliers and subcontractors have opportunities to be involved with this project.
Thanks to these efforts, it’s great to note that this project will involve more than 20 subcontractors from our city and wider region, as well as up to 18 locally-based LT McGuinness employees over the next two years. We are also proud to be associated with the collaboration happening between LT McGuinness and Best Care (Whakapai Hauora), which is creating pathways in construction and infrastructure for local whānau.
Next Steps
Preparations are underway for our foundation works, the next major step in our build process.
Construction on the Western end of the new terminal is expected to be complete in mid-2026. At this point, all terminal operations will relocate into the Western end of the terminal, and demolition of the Eastern wing will begin. The new terminal is set to open fully in the third quarter of 2027.
Why We’re Doing This
Three key drivers are creating the need for us to invest in a refurbished or new terminal. These include:
- seismic resilience
- the ability to accommodate future growth in passenger volumes
- the ability to introduce passenger and hold bag screening if it’s required.
A refurbishment of the present terminal was evaluated but ruled out due to the cost and residual seismic concerns. Our new terminal will improve the experience for all customers, providing more efficient and modern airport infrastructure. It will ensure our city and region have an air gateway that is resilient and will last us for years to come.
24/7 General Enquiries
06 351 4415
info@pnairport.co.nz
Palmerston North Airport
Airport Drive, Palmerston North 4442 NEW ZEALAND
PO Box 4384,
Palmerston North 4442
