Songshan Airport Will Be Converted Into Capital Commercial Airport

Taipei, Nov. 2, 2012 (CENS)--The Executive Yuan (the Cabinet) approved yesterday (Nov. 1) the overall development project of Taipei Songshan Airport, calling for the transformation of the airport into a capital commercial airport, which will couple with the projected twin-tower buildings near Taipei railway station to become “twin national gates” in the eastern and western regions of the city.

The Taipei City Government will hold investors' conference in the second half of this month to invite private participation in the development project of “civil aviation-related industrial corridor” project, which is expected to create some 10,000 job vacancies.

An official in charge pointed out that similar to Taoyuan aviation city project, the development project of Songshan Airport will consist of the two parts of “egg yolk” and “egg white.” The parking lot in front of the airport will be put underground and international architects will be invited to forge a new image for the airport.

The main body of the development project, or the “egg yolk,” will cover the main portion of the airport, the existing site of Civil Aeronautics Administration, and its peripheral area, totaling five hectares in space, which will be developed into a “civil aviation-related industrial corridor,” accommodating such facilities as international hotel, international convention center, and duty-free shops. The government aims to attract NT$40 billion of private capital for the development of the corridor.

The “egg white” part will cover 2.27 hectares of land situated on the eastern side of Dunhua N. Road and Minchuan E. Road, which is owned by the Ministry of National Defense. The area will undergo urban renewal and be used for the construction of such facilities as business hotel, office building, duty-free shop, and travel information center. By 2030, the Civil Aeronautics Administration will invest over NT$10 billion to obtain peripheral land and improve external-linking roads of Songshan Airport, as well as the establishment of a business center.

Kao Hua-chu, minister of national defense, expressed that the ministry is willing to release the land being occupied by the military's Song Shan command headquarters, so as to support the development of the civil-aviation industry and strengthen the business function in the peripheral area of the airport.