Pressure is mounting on the city council to come out against Christchurch Airport’s “senseless” plans to build a new airport in Central Otago.

Eleven academics from across New Zealand have formed a group to oppose the airport’s proposal to build a “world-class sustainable airport” in Tarras – about 90km from Queenstown.

The council owns a 75% stake in the airport, with the other 25% owned by the Government.

Three of those academics spoke at Wednesday’s Christchurch City Council meeting and urged the council not to continue supporting the project. The Tarras development was a vanity project that would cripple Christchurch’s economy, they said.

Christchurch Airport project director Michael Singleton said New Zealand was geographically isolated and high-quality air connectivity would always be an important driver of social and economic wellbeing.

“Doing nothing in the face of a well-documented and fast-approaching infrastructure deficit and changing climate jeopardises the long-term ability of communities to maintain or improve their standard of living," he said.

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