The influence of airports on the location of non-aviation industry : a case study : The Vancouver metropolitan area, B.C.
Creators: name: Northey, John Laird
Publisher: name: University of British Columbia
Year: 2011

description: Airports, as terminals for a new and dynamic form of transportation, are not only places for the movement and storage of aircraft — they have a major influence on urban development. This fact is often underestimated by civic officials, airline officials, and planners. Airports as terminals are no different in function from the older and more well established port and rail terminals around which many of today's cities have developed. Today, as in the past, industry often demonstrates a preference for sites near major transportation terminals and routes in order to minimize transfer cost, and to increase convenience of handling. The airport, as another type of transportation terminal, could therefore, be expected to exercise a similar influence, as the efficiency and utilization of air-freight and corporate air travel increase. Within the context of the total airport-community relationship, a determination of the desirability to industry of sites located in proximity to a major airport is considered significant. To this end the hypothesis is advanced that: AS THE MAJOR AIRPORT EVOLVES INTO A PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TERMINAL, CERTAIN TYPES OF INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS OTHER THAN THOSE DIRECTLY CONCERNED WITH AVIATION, WILL DESIRE LOCATIONS ON OR NEAR THE AIRPORT SITE. A CASE STUDY: THE VANCOUVER METROPOLITAN AREA, B.C. The first stage in the investigation was to ascertain the nature of air freight and corporate air travel, and to describe the methods whereby these two new forms of transfer could benefit the operation of certain types of firms. Commodities presently being carried by air freight were then described, and their common characteristics determined. A high ratio of value to weight, perishability, fashionability, or emergency desirability were the most common characteristics of these commodities. For corporate air travel, a ranking of firms by 'propensity to travel' was established. Specific examples were found of airport location, by various industrial firms in several cities in the USA. These firms either produced, utilized, or distributed items suitable for air freight, or required extensive corporate travel. The hypothesis was, therefore, shown to have some relevance in these cities. From the established data, a list was derived of the types of firms considered to be those most likely to desire location near a major airport. The list was general and did not take into account regional differences in economies. In order to delineate the most suitable types of firms and to carry out interviews in the Case Study Area, it was necessary first to study the local economy and to amend the above list. By this method, only those firms would be interviewed that were representative of conditions in the Case Study Area. A Study Group was then chosen that represented a cross-section of suitable local firms. In order to investigate airport industrial location independently from other industrial location criteria, the attractiveness of an airport site location was ascertained under the following assumptions: i) Suitable land at a competitive price must be available at or close to Vancouver International Airport; ii) Good quality road and rail facilities must connect the airport to the major traffic generators of the metropolitan area; iii) Market factors must indicate the desirability of plant expansion, relocation, or creation; iv) Services such as water, sewer, and drainage must be available at reasonable cost; v) Airport and Municipal zoning regulation must permit the development anticipated; vi) Air freight rates will decrease as more efficient aircraft are introduced and freight volume increases; vii) A Customs Port will be established at the airport in the near future. Analysis of the survey response indicated that the majority of the managers of firms in the Study Group had considered the potential effects of air freight and corporate air travel on their operations. Twenty-five percent of the firms interviewed signified that relocation of part or all of their plants to a site near Vancouver International Airport was a distinct possibility in the near future. Thirty-five percent agreed with the hypothesis in principle, but believed it impractical for them because of other factors. Some of these factors (such as, for example, a need for locations central to service areas) may be reduced through future metropolitan growth. Forty percent of the firms rejected the hypothesis. Although further, more scientific surveys are required, several criteria emerged that may have significance for planning in the Vancouver Metropolitan Area or in regions economically similar to this area: i) Wholesale Distributors of Auto Parts, Textiles, and Industrial Machinery, and Distribution firms were those most favourable to airport location. Manufacturers were generally unfavourable; ii) Warehouses would comprise the predominant type of industrial use in any development in proximity to the airport; iii) Large firms of national or international scope were those most favourable to the hypothesis; iv) Firms that imported close to 100 percent of their stock tended to be those most favourable; v) There is a direct relationship between present regular use of air freight, and anticipated future regular use, with disposition to locate at or near the airport. Corporate air travel, though of concern, is not a definitive incentive to such location.