Whangarei District Council is investigating moving the airport as the current site is too small to expand significantly to meet requirements for larger aircraft. A runway length of between 1200m and 1350m is needed to accommodate aircraft likely to be in use beyond the next ten to fifteen years. A site at Mata, south of Whangarei was considered but deemed too far from central Whangarei to be viable. Another site at the former location of Port Whangarei was mooted in 2014 but a move is not considered likely due to operational requirements and cost. If a decision is reached to move the airport it will not be before 2025 and will have to overcome great cost and uncertainty surrounding the demand for such a large airport in relative proximity to Auckland.