More delays for airport terminal

Delays to airport infrastructure in Onslow have meant the public is not likely to use the terminal facilities until the end of the year or early 2015.

Shire of Ashburton president Kerry White said although it was hard to put an exact time on when the terminal was likely to be open for regular passenger transport, the Shire was aiming for December or early in the new year.

"We are in the process of awarding key packages of work, which will bring us one step closer to applying for necessary approvals," she said.

"The terminal must first be completed, though, before the right approvals can be granted for regular passenger transport, such as having screening facilities in place.

"The approval process can take up to three months."

The Onslow aerodrome project blew out by $11 million earlier this year but $10 million was found from the Chevron-funded Community Development Fund.

The Shire also hit a snag this year with firefighting services for the airport.

In January, the Shire was investigating purchasing water tanks from Chevron but found the tanks would not comply with planning conditions.

A tender was put out on March 15 to supply, deliver and install fire tanks and closed on March 31 with no tenders submitted.

Ms White said the Shire had gathered quotes itself and passed a motion at last week's council meeting to delegate the chief executive to accept one.

"If we left it to Council to decide and not use the delegated authority … we would have had to wait until the next Council meeting on May 21," she said.

"This would have meant a delay of another five weeks for this element of the project."