Key issues for Frankton residents - including acoustic insulation for houses affected by Queenstown Airport's air noise boundary extensions - will be addressed at the Frankton Community Association annual meeting tonight.
Association chairman Scott Freeman told the Queenstown Times guest speakers Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Scott Paterson, Queenstown Lakes district councillor Russell Mawhinney and Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden would be addressing issues which had "a great deal of significance to people not just living in the Frankton area, but wider afield".
After their presentations, questions from the floor would be welcomed and Mr Freeman expected there to be some discussion about Queenstown Airport's plans in particular.
Those included the expansion of the airport terminal, "pushing general aviation away from the lake", night flights until 10pm and the proposed retro-fit of houses in the McBride St area, required as part of QAC's proposed extension to the air noise boundaries.
Mr Freeman said the latter, expected to take place within the next three years, was one of the key issues for Frankton residents.
In 2009, the Otago Daily Times reported the airport might spend $100,000 annually over 15 years bringing about 80 homes which fell into two of the air noise boundaries closest to the airport up to appropriate levels of acoustic insulation in living and sleeping areas.
Mr Freeman said the logistics of the retro-fitting, which would be a "very long and challenging process", would need to be discussed.
"Part of plan change 35 and the notice of requirement is there will be a working group formed, including representatives from QAC, airlines, the council and the community.
"Once the air noise boundaries expand out, i.e. more flights are coming in, QAC will go to affected landowners [and] insulate to a certain standard.
"It will be at QAC's cost, which is a good thing from the residents' point of view.
"But there are also a whole range of issues around that because, in effect, they'll be kicking people out of their houses for a few months to do that."
While residents had been given information about the plans, "most people will be confused by it", he said.
Mr Mawhinney would be discussing issues surrounding the Frankton Golf Course, which was transferred to Lakes Leisure management earlier this year to operate as a six-hole course, the council-controlled organisation possibly establishing a redeveloped golf centre on the existing site.
Ms van Uden would provide a general update on a range of Frankton issues, Mr Freeman said.
Included in the annual meeting would be a discussion about plans to upgrade the Frankton foreshore, from the Frankton Marina to the Kawarau Bridge at State Highway 6.
The association secured $10,000 in funding as part of the council's long-term plan process to go towards design work for the upgrade, which would "add some amenities to the area", including car parking, Mr Freeman said.
• The meeting is open to the public and begins at 7pm in the Queenstown Airport terminal building, with free car parking available for attendees. QAC will also host tours of the terminal from 6.30pm.
