The upgrade will be funded with a $3m grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund and $1.2m from the North Island Weather Event Fund.
Both funds are managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Kānoa– Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit.
Wairoa District Council, which owns and operates the airport, will manage the project and fund future maintenance.
The runway will be extended from 914m to 1250m. Improvements will also be made to the airport’s drainage, lighting and fencing to enable 24-hour operation, with upgrades to the airport’s vertical guidance systems.
The New Zealand Air Ambulance Service transports more than 400 patients each year to and from the Wairoa community from its headquarters at Hawke’s Bay Airport.
Its chief executive, Annabel Toogood, said they were happy to see this investment confirmed.
“This service provides a fast, reliable and cost-effective pathway to care when time matters most,” Toogood said.
“With aircraft operating into and out of Wairoa on most days, the reliability of the runway and supporting infrastructure is essential to safe, consistent service delivery,” Toogood said.
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the upgrade was a game-changer and would help save lives.
“The airport provides a critical health service daily and is vital during emergencies, particularly when the roading network into and out of the district is compromised,” Little said.
“The upgrade will deliver a range of benefits, including strengthening the region’s resilience to future emergencies and reducing transfer times for critical health services. This investment will help save lives.”
He thanked everyone who had worked hard to get the project elevated to a national level.
“Our council is particularly grateful to all the stakeholders, including local iwi and the airport users, who supported this project, which comes at no cost to our local ratepayers.”
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said the airport was critical infrastructure for the area, supporting commercial air passenger services, health transport and logistics during extreme weather events.
“When roads are cut off, the airport becomes an even more vital lifeline, as we saw during Cyclone Gabrielle when it handled more than 100 emergency flights in quick succession,” Jones said.
“This upgrade will extend and improve the runway’s operating capability, improving the area’s resilience and increasing potential for economic growth.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026. Around 20 to 25 full-time staff will work on the project at its busiest point, with locals employed where possible.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
