SRK Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SRK) appointed by Airports Company South Africa has undertaken the Scoping and Environmental Impact Reporting for the realignment of the runway. The Draft Environmental Impact Report will be released to the public for an 8 week comment period commencing on 31 March 2015 until 25 May 2015. Airports Company South Africa proposes to re-align the primary runway and construct parallel and rapid exit taxiways. The re-aligned primary runway will be 3 500 m in length and will be built to international specifications, allowing larger aircraft, such as the A380, to land at Cape Town International Airport, enabling airport expansion and increased airport capacity.

“The Scoping Phase, which sought to determine the boundaries of the impact assessment study, was completed in July 2014 and the Final Scoping Report was accepted by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on 30 September 2014. This Draft Environmental Impact Report comprehensively describes and assesses the impacts of the proposed re-aligned runway project on various aspects of the environment, through specialist studies,” said Deborah Francis, acting Communications Manager: Cape Town International Airport.

The Specialist studies undertaken investigate key potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts on air quality, noise, terrestrial and aquatic ecology, groundwater, socio-economic impacts, and transport amongst others.  “We encourage interested and affected parties to visit the SRK Consulting website http://www.srk.co.za/en/za-cape-town-international-airport-runway-re-alignment-eia to view the draft report and participate during the public participation comment period commencing at the end of March. They can contact SRK Consulting to find out where the document is available which includes 15 libraries in communities around the airport,” added Francis.

A public consultation period will run for eight weeks, from 31 March 2015 till 25 May 2015. The public is invited to submit comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report. During this period there will also be a series of Open Days where the public are invited to attend and ask questions and make comments about the project. SRK Consulting will be hosting Public Open days in communities surrounding the airport. These are scheduled for 16 April, 7, 11-14 May 2015. The venues will be in Bishop Lavis, Khayelitsha, Delft, Bothasig, Edgemead and at Cape Town International Airport. 

Public Open Days

Five Public Open Days will be held where the project will be discussed and concerns or issues can be raised. Interested parties are invited to visit the open days at any time between
15h00 – 19h00, at the following locations:

• Southern Office Block, Cape Town International Airport – 16 April 2015;
• Bishop Lavis Civic Centre, Adriaanse Avenue, Bishop Lavis – 07 May 2015;
• Solomon Tshuku Hall, Solomon Tshuku Avenue, Site C Khayelitsha – 11 May 2015;
• Bothasig Hall, Link Road, Bothasig – 13 May 2015; and
• Delft Civic Centre, Corner Delft Main Road and Voorbrug Street, Delft – 14 May 2015.

All comments must be submitted to Scott Masson at SRK Consulting via the following means:
Post: Postnet Suite #206,
Private Bag X18, Rondebosch, 7701,
Tel: (021) 659 3060(021) 659 3060,
Fax: (021) 685 7105, or
Email: smasson@srk.co.za or sjones@srk.co.za.

 
For more information please contact:
Deborah Francis
Acting Communications Manager
Telephone Number: 071 686 2740071 686 2740
Email: Deborah.Francis@airports.co.za