An extension to a grazing land lease which is part of Alexandra Airport reserve land has been approved by the Central Otago District Council.
At the council’s waste and property infrastructure committee meeting last week the committee approved an additional five-year right of renewal for the grazing lease to John and Stacey Waldron.
The Waldrons have leased the 71ha of reserve land for grazing since 2012.
A report by council property officer Tara Ross said part of the lease land on the east side of the runway had been identified as a location for a second hangar precinct.
But after further investigation, it was decided hangars in that area would be problematic, because of obstruction zones at the end of the runway.
Another area for hangars was identified on the west side of the runway which was not part of the lease.
The west side was previously identified as a commercial hangar site but since the airport’s core demand was from the private aviation sector, commercial hangars were not a priority.
The lease extension also meant the future of the Clyde Pony Club’s cross-country course was secure.
The club recently constructed a cross-country course on part of the leased land.
The course was used annually for a two-day event in September and for training over the year.
"It is unlikely that the grazing lease area will be required for future airport development in the next 10 years," the report said.
However there was a clause in the lease which allowed the council to terminate the lease for all or part of the land if it was needed for airport purposes.
