Flights of fancy: This hangar home comes with a runway

FAST FACTS

• A 750m home over a hangar in Omaka, Blenheim, has come on the market for the first time since it was built in 2012.
• The owner is an internationally renown British aviator.
• His bespoke Omaka home sits on a 7217m² section that includes a runway, and has space for about five airplanes beneath it.

For all our national bird is flightless, Kiwi really love to fly. In 2017 we were found to be the third most travelled nation in the world (after Ireland and Australia). With about 200 of us jetting overseas to live daily, we might even have left them behind at this point.

In fact, Kiwi love air travel so much, some of us even want to live with our planes. In April this year, a development in Waikato was announced that would include bungalow homes with hangars where the garage should be. In May, an East Auckland home was discovered to have a famous Harrier jump jet sitting in the back yard, clearly visible on Google Earth. Some folks love planes so much, they even live in them.

Of course, homes with access to a runway aren’t unusual, especially not in rural areas. However, those are typically home-first, hangar and runway second, or adding a new home near to the runway and hangar. Which makes 54 Rosina Corlett Lane, in Omaka, Blenheim, unique, in that it is very much hangar and runway first.

This home was built by UK businessman and aviation enthusiast Ronan Harvey. Harvey famously runs the Cotswold Airport in the UK, which he bought from the UK’s Ministry of Defence in 2001 and turned into a civilian airport. Formerly RAF Kemble, the airport was once the base of the Red Arrows, the RAF’s elite formation flying team.

He initially wanted to build a home like this in Wanaka.

“He didn’t do that,” says listing agent Tim Crawford of Winder and Co. “He finished up coming here, to Marlborough, and building the hangar with an apartment above it to house his collection of planes.

Harvey now lives in the UK.

Harvey has had a long association with the “Warbirds” events held in Wanaka and Marlborough on alternating Easters. Omaka is the home of the Classic Fighters Downunder air show.

“He also owns a half share in an airplane, the Steadfast, which he also pilots,” says Crawford.

The Steadfast is a Yakovlev Yak-3U aircraft, which is a famous racing plane that set several speed and climbing records. Harvey shares ownership with Kiwi aviator and “Warbirds” regular, Mark O'Sullivan

Apart from the giant hangar with a 20m-wide door under the sitting room? Sure, it’s been very nicely decorated in a funky, modern style, with two double bedrooms, each with an ensuite. Many of the pieces may be available to buy, and some are chattels.

There’s a verandah that runs the full width of the apartment, facing the airfield. Inside, there’s a large open-plan living/kitchen/diner, with views over the surrounding countryside. The kitchen island has a very funky, bohemian vibe, with the nose and prop of a plane as decoration, tying the décor theme to the location.

Both bedrooms are doubles, with their own bathrooms.

The home has direct access to the runway via a shared taxing lane. And, you could possibly commute to Auckland from here if you could afford runway fees, and the plane engine fuel.

"It's either an aviation enthusiast, who might have their own planes, or it could be somebody involved in an associated trade, somebody working on planes, or someone associated with the air heritage centre,' says Crawford, "We've got a hell of a lot of old planes around here."

He said the area has a reputation for rebuilding and restoring planes. Alternatively the home might suit an investor looking for a unique Airbnb or short term rental opportunity, although they would need to do their due diligence about that.