The Cape Winelands Airport in Cape Town is slated to receive an estimated R7-billion investment for an expansion project that will allow for significantly more air traffic.
Located near Durbanville, the airport’s expansion is expected to be completed by 2027 and promises to create thousands of jobs both during and after the construction phase, reported BusinessTech.
A boon to the area
The Cape Winelands Airport was first established in 1943, serving as a much smaller landing site for non-commercial flights for civilians.
The airport has effectively served as the gateway to the region’s many wine farms for those travelling by air, and this will still be the case after the expansion’s completion, albeit on a much larger scale with plans to accommodate various domestic and international flights.
“We are thrilled to introduce our airport expansion to the Cape Winelands region,” said Deon Cloete, managing director of Cape Winelands Airport.
“This facility represents a commitment to providing world-class transportation options, promoting tourism, and stimulating economic growth in our beautiful region.”
Source: capewinelands.aero
It is forecast that by 2050, the airport will be responsible for 25% of passenger flights coming to and from Cape Town, with two million international and three million domestic visitors annually.
The MMC for Economic Growth in the City of Cape Town, Alderman James Vos, has endorsed the project, stating that it will usher in a new era of opportunity and prosperity for the region.
Vos said the strategic placement of the airport was an intentional move to boost tourism and contribute to Cape Town’s identity as a business and leisure hub.
While the plans are still pending regulatory approval, the airport is aiming to gain new infrastructure that includes the following:
- Heliport
- Retail spaces
- Fueling facilities
- Hotel accommodation
- New terminal building
- Cargo processing facility
- New hangarage/hangers
- Food processing facilities
- Event and conference venues
- Warehousing and logistics facilities
- Educational and commercial office spaces
- Facilities for light manufacturing and industrial purposes
Furthermore, it has four runways and plans to convert and extend one of these to a Code 4F runway along a new orientation, which will allow it to receive wide-body aircraft.
In addition to boosting tourism and revenue for the winelands region, the upgraded facilities will also serve as a viable “planning alternate airport” to Cape Town International, which is a term used to refer to airports that planes can divert to in the case of emergencies.
Currently, Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International is considered the main alternative to Cape Town International on long-haul flights, which requires that planes carry an extra two hours’ worth of fuel to bridge the 1,270km distance between the two locations.
The Cape Winelands Airport, meanwhile, is only 25km away from Cape Town International, making it a much cheaper and more practical alternative for these situations.
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