Queenstown Airport is seeking building consent to expand its terminal by about a third, with the work, subject to approval, expected to be finished before June.
The airport company has been granted outline plan approval from the Queenstown Lakes District Council, for its proposed 4080sq m expansion.
Queenstown Airport Corporation's application incorporates, in a triangle-shaped expansion, a 3480sq m ground floor extension south of the existing terminal building including an international baggage claim and handling area, customs facilities, international departure and arrival lounges and associated retail space, restrooms and offices.
An enclosed walkway would be provided.
The application said a 600sq m expansion on the first floor of the terminal would be occupied by ''future holding lounges, a plant deck and associated corridor connections'' to existing corporate lounges.
The airport's passenger statistics, released yesterday, showed international passenger numbers increased 26.1% in August, compared to August 2013, with 55,125 passing through the airport.
It experienced an overall passenger increase of 7%, from 128,627 in August last year to 137,690 last month, despite 32 flights being diverted from the airport over August.
Total passenger numbers for the year ended August 2014 were up 5% (61,029) to 1,270,520, compared to the previous 12 months.
The application said building profiles would match the height of the existing terminal building, complying with the maximum 9m building height, and on completion would comprise a similar appearance and profile to the existing buildings.
Earthworks would be minimal, limited to establishing the necessary finished floor levels and building foundations.
The application said the southeastern corner of the proposed building would be below ground level, requiring excavation of about 40cu m of material, with about 70cu m of further cut required in localised areas.
About 1500cu m of fill would be required on the remainder of the site.
Construction would take about five months to complete, and would be carried out between 7am and 6pm Monday to Saturday.
However, operational requirements might necessitate construction outside those hours and on Sundays.
''In particular, some external work may be required at night, for example, if the use of cranes is required.
''Noise is not anticipated to be significant, especially when compared to the existing airport environment and at all times ... works will adhere to the relevant New Zealand Standard for construction noise.''
The extension would enhance the functioning and operational capacity of the airport, and when viewed in context, any adverse effects were considered to be ''less than minor''.
Council resource consent manager Blair Devlin said the proposal was consistent with the designation and its purpose which was to ''protect the operational capability of the airport while at the same time minimising adverse environmental effects from aircraft noise on the community''.
Mr Devlin agreed the effects were less than minor and accepted the outline plan as submitted, however, the company still required building consent before it could proceed with the expansion.
