By RACHNA LAL
Airports Fiji Limited is now considering an entirely new plan for the Nausori International Airport.
This involves building an entirely new terminal at a different location altogether.
This has been confirmed by Airports Fiji chairman, Faiz Khan.
“Our plans are likely to change. Initially come 2016, we had thought to renovate the existing Nausori Airport Terminal,” he said.
“But our new plan is to build a new terminal altogether at basically a new location.”
New proposal
Mr Khan said once Airports Fiji finalises its plans for Nausori Airport, it would then take the new proposal to the iTaukei Lands Trust Board (TLTB) with the new land area involved.
As far acquiring new land would be concerned, Mr Khan said they would pay the highest and best used value of the land to landowners.
“From Airports Fiji point of view, we are going to offer the market rate for the land the we will acquire which is the highest and best used value of the land,” he said.
“This would be the market value plus value of the land’s potential in future.”
Airports Fiji will also be working with other relevant stakeholders such as the Fiji Roads Authority before it can send the new proposal to TLTB.
Investment amount
As far as the cost of investment in the new terminal site is concerned, Mr Khan said it would be almost the same.
“Whether we renovate the old terminal or get an entirely new terminal, cost would commercially be almost the same,” he said.
“So we see it as better to get a new terminal which would still be around $20 million than renovating the old one.”