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The Department of Environmental Affairs has authorised the proposed runway realignment at Cape Town International Airport as well as associated infrastructure planned for the airport.
The realignment will allow the airport to accommodate A380s and is expected to entice more international airlines to fly direct into Cape Town.
Tourism Update last reported that the preliminary design has been accepted but the environmental impact assessment approval was being awaited.
The authorisation granted by the DEA included extensions to and realignment of the runway as well as associated infrastructure such as aircraft parking stands and taxiways. The environmental impact assessment took nearly four years of planning and assessment and included extensive public consultation.
General Manager of Cape Town International Airport, Deon Cloete: “We are indeed pleased to have reached this milestone within the environmental assessment process. It has required a great deal of planning and continuing engagement with communities to get to this point”.
The independent environmental consultants, SRK Consulting, are required to inform all interested and affected parties within 12 days of the department’s decision and will also broadly advertise the Environmental Authorisation. The regulatory process provides an opportunity for appeals so that anyone who wishes to challenge the record of decision can do so. The regulations applying to the authorisation require parties to notify the department of their intentions within 20 days of the date of the environmental authorisation.
“This runway project is not only about the growth of the airport, it’s about unlocking the growth potential of Cape Town and the Western Cape and we are pleased to be able to further contribute to development of the region,” says Cloete.
Sоurсе: tourismupdate.co.za
