The proposed redevelopment and expansion of the Cape Winelands Airport on the outskirts of Cape Town estimated to cost about R7bn has entered the next phase, with an application to the department of environmental affairs and development planning for environmental approvals.
The public participation process for the environmental impact assessment is under way and the deadline for submissions is December 8.
The airport is situated close to the N1 highway about 40km from Cape Town’s city centre and about 25 km from Cape Town International Airport.
The property was acquired in November 2020 by Cape Winelands Aero comprising a group of private businesspeople, including private investor Rob Hersov.
It was formerly known as the Fisantekraal Airfield and belonged to the SA Air Force. Currently, it serves as a general aviation airfield for unscheduled operations like recreational flying, private hangarage, flight training, aircraft maintenance, charter operations and crop spraying.
The property is surrounded by cultivated land, livestock and poultry farms and a wastewater treatment facility. Initial feasibility studies suggest the proposed airport development would integrate seamlessly into the current air transport and airspace network as an alternate to Cape Town International Airport.
The development proposal involves a phased approach and includes the construction of a primary runway of 3.5 km and a secondary cross runway of 700m. Depending on demand, further infrastructure development could include passenger and cargo terminals, a hotel, aircraft hangers and services, airport facilities and a bulk fuel storage facility.
The developers foresee the Cape Winelands Airport could then serve as a so-called “reliever” airport within SA’s network of airports and airfields. It could also be a much closer “alternate” airport for airlines operating inbound flights in case of an emergency or airport closure at Cape Town International. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requires airlines to list an alternate airport in case of need. Airlines operating inbound fights to Cape Town International Airport could then substantially reduce the amount of reserve fuel flights need to carry as required by ICAO.
These weight reductions are possible because the distance from the destination airport (Cape Town International) to the Cape Winelands Airport (14 nautical miles [NM]) is lower than the distance to Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport in Gqeberha (491 NM) or Johannesburg (686 NM). Such a reduction in diversion distance results in less fuel weight having to be allocated to the reserve.
“With the Cape Winelands Airport as a closer designated alternate airport, all airlines flying into Cape Town will be able to reduce their contingency fuel requirements, therefore reducing carbon emissions, reduce their fuel burn and reduce their carbon footprint. The enhanced route profitability could mean more market entrants and offer additional capacity where there is currently slot and capacity constraints at other airports,” the developers state in their application.
An initial analysis by the developers, based on 2019 (pre‐Covid 19) traffic levels, indicates the potential savings for airlines of fuel consumption could be a total of 19-million kilograms per year, a reduction of CO2 emissions by 60-million kilograms per year and an increase in air cargo carrying capacity by 400%.
“Case studies of Johannesburg, London and Barcelona indicate that different airports in a network serve different market segments and provide complementary services. Some, for instance, may focus on business travellers that require fast processing times, short travel distances and frequent connections to business hubs.
“Others could serve primarily the tourist market, which may be more interested in a leisurely airport experience, nearby accommodation and entertainment options and typically look for low-cost connectivity to tourism destinations and international hubs.”
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