A fight against plans to expand Wanaka Airport is going to the High Court.

Wanaka Stakeholders Group Inc has filed judicial review proceedings in the Invercargill High Court against the Queenstown Lakes District Council and Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) over plans to expand Wanaka Airport.

In 2018 QAC was granted a 100-year lease over the council-owned Wanaka Airport, and plans to operate a “dual airport model” to cope with demand at Queenstown Airport.

The corporation is 75.01 per cent owned by the council with the remaining shares owned by Auckland Airport.

READ MORE:
*Controversial Wanaka Airport lease revealed but plans for legal action remain
*Huge growth needed to make Wanaka Airport investment viable – report

The council released an unredacted copy of the lease agreement in September after previously resisting requests to make it available.

WSG chairman Michael Ross said the lease contents were “disturbing”, and decisions to transfer “substantial ownership and control” to QAC were “unlawful”, unreasonable” and in breach of the Local Government Act.

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A few moments ago, we alerted media that we had commenced the formal legal process. We'd rather not be going to court, but @QueenstownLakes and @NZQN have left us no choice, esp. given the new details which have come to light in the #WanakaAirport lease https://t.co/LIGiFshb3l

— Protect Wanaka (@ProtectWanaka) October 30, 2019