The Cape Winelands Airport has hit another major milestone with the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning providing it with environmental authorisation.
With this authorisation now secure, the project can begin developing more detailed plans and implementing measures that will limit environmental impact before construction begins.
“The granting of environmental authorisation is an important validation of the extensive work and consultation that has gone into ensuring this project meets the highest environmental and community standards,” said Deon Cloete, managing director of Cape Winelands Airport.
The Cape Winelands Airport project is intended to open its doors and begin handling travelers in 2028.
Its creation is the result of a growing need for a second international airport near Cape Town International to help service the steadily increasing traffic it supports.
One major concern is that with only one international airport, planes are forced to carry extra fuel in case an emergency prevents them from landing at Cape Town International Airport.
A second international airport will help solve this, just as it has done in Gauteng, which has both OR Tambo International and Lanseria airports.
The new airport is planned to be positioned just outside Durbanville and will involve significant redevelopment of the existing Fisantekraal Airfield.
The Fisantekraal Airfield originally belonged to the South African Air Force, and the current plan is to convert it into a commercial airport by expanding and realigning the primary runway to a length of 3,5km.
This new runway will be supported by extensive supporting infrastructure, including taxiways, aircraft parking stands, refuelling systems, and cargo facilities.
Along with this, a new passenger terminal will be built, with current plans indicating it will be able to accommodate 5.2 million annual passengers.
Major support
Growthpoint, one of South Africa’s biggest landlords, recently added its investment to the Cape Winelands Airport with plans to make it into the Western Cape’s next-generation aviation, hospitality, and industrial hub.
This deal was signed in early October and involved an investment of R8 billion to deliver the airport’s terminal buildings, runway, and developable estate.
Following this, on 16 October, REIT announced that it had made an initial investment with the right to co-invest and develop the new Cape Winelands Airport precinct.
Growthpoint noted that this marked the beginning of a new strategic partnership to deliver a next-generation experience for travellers.
“The privately-owned airport, set to be developed on the site of the airfield previously known as Fisantekraal, is designed to strengthen the region’s logistics, trade and tourism infrastructure,” it said.
“The property group’s initial investment is one of several pillars in a long-term partnership for the design, development, delivery and management of the properties within the Cape Winelands Airport precinct.”
Growthpoint also stated that it would assume long-term property and asset management responsibilities.
The airport’s current development timeline targets a 2028 commissioning and a 2050 goal of securing 5 million annual passengers.
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