The Cape Winelands Airport is facing a final hurdle before construction can commence as several appeals from neighbouring landowners await a decision from Anton Bredell, the Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.
The airport project secured environmental authorisation in October 2025 following an extensive assessment process but its progression towards a targeted late-2026 construction start now hinges on the outcome of these appeals.
The airport’s MD Deon Cloete said the development had significant revisions during the environmental impact assessment (EIA) phase, including addressing objections from nearby poultry operations, reports Daily Maverick.
These concerns led to refinements in the airport’s design although Cloete stressed that developers remain committed to operating the facility independently of the national power grid.
“Of the 1 500-odd interested and affected parties, six decided to appeal. It’s currently with the Minister to consider those appeals. We expect, only by the end of this month, to have a final outcome from the Minister. They want the airport but they don’t want the airport right there,” said Cloete. Since then, one appellant has dropped an appeal, leaving only five appeals.
Stakeholders have called for flight operations to begin during the build but developers argue that mixing an active airfield with a massive construction site is too dangerous.
Further concerns have been raised in planning documents, including a noise impact assessment indicating that, at full capacity, the airport’s noise footprint could overlap with nearby residential developments such as Greenville Garden City.
Deidre Davids, spokesperson for RSA Aero, owner and operator of Cape Winelands Airport, told Travel News that Development Management: Region 1, acting as the administrative authority, has recommended to the Minister that the five appeals are set aside.
“This recommendation is encouraging and we remain firmly committed to pursuing responsible and sustainable development,” said Davids.
She believes the airport’s location is advantageous in that there are few built-up areas around it so the impact of noise is largely mitigated.
“The concerns raised during the appeals process are largely a repeat of what has been raised previously via the EIA process. There are multiple mitigation measures to address the impact. By way of an example, as it relates to noise, the airport will institute a noise monitoring committee to closely monitor noise impacts and consider whether any additional measures are required.”
The company has taken every technical concern seriously, from noise modelling to aviation safety and transport planning, and each has been addressed through detailed, specialist-led studies and this is why authorisation was granted in October last year, Davids added.
“Our aspiration remains to open in 2028 and all indications are that we are on track for that,” she said.
