19 - 5 - 93 Aviation us THE CHRISTCHURCH City Council sub-committee considering the future of Wigram air base wants to retain the site intact for aviation uses. The deputy chairman of the committee, Cr Morgan Fahey, said yesterday that the group did not want the 247ha site to revert to rural land or be subdivided into industrial estates after the RNZAF vacates the base in 1995. "We feel we are morally bound by Sir Henry Wigram's conditions when be subsidised the sale of the base to the Government in 1923." Sir Henry had stipulated that he wanted the then Sockburn airfield to be used for the training of "airmen and By DAVE WILSON mechanics for the defence of New Zealand". Retaining Wigram as a flying complex, albeit for civilian use, was a priority, Cr Fahey said. The council had asked the Minister of Defence, Mr Cooper, to delay for six months any action on vacating Wigram, but he had declined this request. The council sub-committee has been meeting parties keen to be based at or utilise the flying or ground training and accommodation facilities at Wigram. e still The RNZAF is closing the base for economic reasons. All flying training will shift to Ohakea next month, and the technical training schools are scheduled to be relocated to Woodbourne by 1995. Cr Fahey said the council still disputed the cost benefit analysis of moving the training schools to Woodbourne, but he believed there was a positive future for the Wigram base. The council's priority was not only to save the base but to find new incomegenerating uses for it, to offset the estimated $20 million loss to the Canterbury economy through the Air Force's withdrawal. Among potential users of Wigram was Wig ram pr Lincoln College, which was keen to use the tertiary training and accommodation facilities. The Canterbury Development Corporation has been working with the council sub-committee to find opportunities for creating employment. Cr Fahey said the sub-committee had been assured by the MP for Selwyn and Minister of Finance, Miss Richardson, that the Government would do all that it could to help the council develop Wigram after the RNZAF withdrawal. Among the groups to be consulted were the Canterbury Aero Club and the Wigram Consortium. Doth potential users of the site. "We are determined to retain Wigram as an airfield and use the site for aviation purposes. "There is so much out there, quite apart from a new $4.5 million runway. Wigram has excellent kitchens, accommodation blocks, and training facilities." Cr Fahey said he was keen to have a national youth driver training school based at Wigram, similar to driver schools in Germany and Scandinavia. The Canterbury Aero Club was considering Wigram as an alternative to its satellite field at West Melton. Cr Fahey said there was no suggestion of the council downplaying Wigram iority because of its involvement with Christchurch International Airport. "Wigram was given to the nation on certain conditions, and we are taking strong notice of Sir Henry. Wigram's wishes regarding the training of airmen. Our interpretation is that it relates today to aviation training." Wigram is zoned for Defence purposes and the city council would have to adjust its land-use zoning to retain Wigram as an airfield. "There are some very positive things that we can do, not only to save the Wigram facilities but to explore wider community uses of the base,' ," Cr Fahey said. 17-7-93 Ngai la nu THE NGAI TAHU Maori Trust Board is interested in acquiring all or part of Wigram air base for commercial uses after it is vacated by the air force in late 1995. Its chief executive officer, Mr Sid Ashton, yesterday confirmed Ngai Tahu's interest, but would not elaborate on its plans. He acknowledged an educational use as a possibility for buildings in the 247ha RNZAF complex, but said Ngai Tahu's interest would not hinder the future use of the base for civil aviation uses. The iwis interest in the base, said to be worth up to $40 million, will feature at a meeting on Monday of the Christchurch City Council sub-committee that has been evaluating possible uses for the site. By DAVE WILSON The sub-committee's chairman, Cr Morgan Fahey, said there was strong support to retain Wigram for aviation uses. He was concerned at the "legal chess game" that sales pians might provoke. The council's senior planner, Mr Michael Reid, said there were 29 potential ciaimants for parcels of land at Wigram, taken under the Public Works Act and absorbed into the area initially subsidised by Sir Henry Wigram. The areas of land subsidised or gifted by Sir Henry are not up for disposal, but are being retained by the air force and vested in the Air Force Museum. The museum is not thr by the base closing, because it is administered by a private trust board. Once the air force leaves Wigram, the land's disposal Will be administered by ine Department of Survey and Land Information. Mr Reid said the rules governing the disposal required that descendants (defined as sons or daughters) of the land's owners be given first right of refusal over the property. If they declined or the council was not interested in acquiring the site, the land would then be offered to the Ngai Tahu people. Oniy if Ngai Tanu was поЕ interested in the base would land be offered for public sale. Cr Fahey said the council subcommittee was keen to reiain Wigram in its present shape. ara Monday's meeting is exp ask the council to seek month moratorium fro Government on any disp cision for the base. "We have had a lot of from throughout the from groups wanting to i ram for aviation purpo there is still a great deal to do and we need mort A suitable hoiding perio give time for an in-dept bility study on the v Canterbury of attracting ation businesses. "We are not yet in a po be recommending that council buys Wigram. I lot more homework nee we would like the Mir Defence to hold off any on disposing of the land wants pected to Cr Fahey expected a difficuit k an 18- task ahead in establishing ownerom the ship of the site. The Canterbury posal de- Aero Club, which had to leave Wigram on the outbreak of war f interest in 1939, was one potential claimcountry ant. use Wig- "If it gets into a Ngai Tanu oses. But land claim it could be very 1 of work difficult. My biggest fear on this e time." whole thing is the ownership of the land and the legal chess Lod would oth feasi- game that could be carried on." value to Mr Reid said there was a new avi- Cabinet directive that all pubiic land in the South Island being osition to considered for disposal bad to be the city offered to Ngai Tahu. There's a He expected the disposal of eded. But Wigram to generate some legal nister of debate. The largest portion of the • decision base comprised land taken under d." the Public Works Act. Wig Wigram's new runway, which cost more than $4.5 million to construct, lay on land that could have several claimants. Council officers feared that if the base was disposed of piecemeal under the "offer back" process, the council could find itself being held to ransom to acquire the complete runway. "Individuals could hold the council to ransom. One of the main concerns is , any fragmentation of the site. If we want to keep an aviation use at Wigram we will have to stop any fragmentation. The Public Works Act allowed local authorities to claim such land, but at market rates. The authority would then i be required to keep the land in the use for which • it was originally designated. ram Mr Reid acknowledged that if the council acquired Wigram, would then be required to use it for aviation purposes. Other options inciuded the Government keeping a Defence purposes designation on the land and leasing it to the council. Ongoing interest in developing the historic air base as a civilian aviation centre is reported by the New Zealand Charters consortium of Christchurch. One of its principals, Mr Dick Shelton, said the group was well advanced in its plan to develop an aviation training and aviation technology centre at Wigram. Lincoln University has already expressed interest in some of the Wigram facilities, while Cr Fahey is keen to see part of it devoted to a national driver training school.