THE future of a flight training school for Glen Innes is again under a cloud, with the local council to consider a further extension for the project at its meeting this week.
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Australia Asia Flight Training lodged a development application for a flying school at Glen Innes Airport in September 2012, with the Glen Innes Severn Council agreeing to the sale of the airport a year later.
But, almost three years on, the company has missed several deadlines relating to the start of construction of the facility, and is now seeking a third extension.
The three directors of Australia Asia Flight Training - Kingsley Munday, Phil Sweeney and Neil Hansford - have asked to address the council at its meeting on Thursday to provide an overview of the progress to date.
When seeking a 12-month extension in June of last year, Mr Munday told councillors they were having difficulty in finding financiers for the project, but expected to have a funding agreement "locked down" within three months.
He said at that time, approval of the extension "should negate the need for us to have to ask for an extension again".
Graham Price, director of development, planning and regulatory services, has recommended council approve the extension, albeit with a list of conditions, including the requirement for the company "to pay any outstanding amounts of money owed to council".
The report reveals the council is owed more than $200,000 relating to airport costs and the upgrade of the road into the airport.
Mr Price acknowledges in the report that council is "again in a difficult position".
"By not extending the call option deed, it would possibly kill off all chance of the development occurring as it is unsure who else would have the capacity to deliver such a project," he said.
Glen Innes general manager Hein Basson agreed, and said the argument "that it takes time for significant projects to materialise has merit", referring to local wind farm projects which took a number of years to get off the ground.
He said the business model was sound and the company was making every effort to secure the necessary funding. Mr Basson said under these circumstances, the council should even consider a three-year extension, rather than one.
"If council is agreeable to this suggestion, it will take the 'incubation period' for this project to around seven years, which could be argued not to be unreasonable, given the significance of the project, the problems experienced by the developers and the current economic/political conditions and climate," he said.
Council will make a decision on Thursday.
