| 9 T T Kim Newth Airport continues its winning ways The opening of the Mātairangi lookout at New Plymouth Airport. The project, which grew out of a partnership between the council, airport company and Puketapu hapū won a Community Engagement Award at the 2025 NZ Airports Awards in October. Te Hono - New Plymouth Airport REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Te Hono, New Plymouth Airport has another award to add to a growing line-up of accolades won since the 2020 opening of its new terminal building. Named one of the world’s most beautiful airports in 2023 by Prix Versailles, the airport has also won multiple national awards for its standout terminal over recent years. The latest recognition is for Mātairangi, a new lookout – and cultural landmark – at New Plymouth Airport, which won a Community Engagement Award at the 2025 NZ Airports Awards in October. Featuring an elevated viewing platform and four pou (pillars) that tell the stories of the Puketapu hapū, Mātairangi provides visitors with panoramic views from Taranaki Maunga to the coastline, and is sited on the Te Pae o Te Rangi Walkway extension. (Once complete, the extension will almost double the length of New Plymouth’s award-winning coastal walkway.) “Mātairangi helps acknowledge the presence and importance of our hapū here – we’re delighted with the outcome and incredibly proud of being recognised for what we have done,” says airport chief executive David Scott. The airport’s ongoing evolution and success over recent years owes much to its strong partnerships in the Taranaki region. The transformative airport terminal redevelopment involved New Plymouth District Council, Puketapu hapū, Papa Rerangi I Puketapu (the airport company) and the designers all working together to create a modern gateway that is unique to the Taranaki region, rich in meaning and cultural significance. Similarly, the award-winning Mātairangi project grew out of a partnership between the council, airport company and Puketapu hapū. It opened in February, a few days before the national kapa haka festival in Taranaki. “Not only is this an important cultural landmark, it’s arguably also one of the best viewing platforms in the district,” says David. “On a clear day, you can see right over to Mount Ruapehu and up and down the coast – it’s just sensational. If you’re flying into New Plymouth, it’s easy to find – you can’t miss it. We’re seeing a good steady flow of people heading up there.” New Plymouth Airport is currently having input into the walkway extension project, as it will pass through the airport precinct. “That’s almost finished now. Once that cycle and walkway has been extended, it will be an incredible asset to the region,” David notes. Another exciting milestone for the airport this year has been the opening of Te Matakupenga, the airport’s new 15-hectare solar farm. It features 14,400 solar panels that will generate up to 14,700 megawatt hours of electricity each year and, in the process, prevent more than 1500 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere annually. It has made New Plymouth Airport self-sufficient in energy, while also generating income through the sale of surplus energy. The solar farm site is still in use as productive grazing land. “This has been another collaborative partnership and it ticks so many boxes: it provides a diversified income stream, which as an airport is massively helpful, and is a core part of our comprehensive sustainability strategy that also includes battery storage and EV charging infrastructure.” David says the solar farm has been fully funded by borrowing – at no cost to ratepayers, with future profits earmarked to go back to the community. Congratulations New Plymouth Airport on winning the community engagement award for Mātairangi www.unlimit.co.nz PROUD PARTNER OF NEW PLYMOUTH AIRPORT 116 Rifle Range Road, Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth 4312 P: 06) 758 7755 E: oce@npe-tech.co.nz W: www.npe-tech.co.nz
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