If you want to vote on the future of the Wellywood sign, you may have to pay.

It is understood that Wellington International Airport wants a panel charged with selecting alternatives to the sign to investigate charging a fee as part of any public vote, so as to limit the chances of block voting for a particular option. The money collected would go to an as-yet-unnamed charity.

But whatever sign finally goes up on airport-owned hillside land by the Miramar Cutting, it may not be in place until March.

The Dominion Post revealed earlier this week the makeup of a seven-strong panel hand-picked by the airport company to select one or more alternatives to the sign, which would then be put to a public vote. Having no sign is not an option.

It is understood airport management want the panel to investigate charging a voting fee so that only people with a true interest in the sign would vote. It would limit the scope for vote-stacking, which could skew the results.

But it is also understood that by charging a fee, the airport would avoid the overhead costs of a formal, registered election process. Despite this, it would pay up to $10,000 to implement whatever voting process the panel chooses.

The airport is now laying down the panel's terms of reference. The Dominion Post understands a requirement is that alternative sign options fit with the resource consent that has already been granted for the Wellywood option – at 3.5 metres high and 28m wide.

It is believed that consideration may be given to a sculpture – though it must not stick above the ridgeline or protrude significantly from the hill.

The panel – Fran Wilde, Richard Stone, Liz Mellish, John Milford, David Gibson, Andy Boreham and Allan Probert – is expected to have completed the voting process no later than the end of the year. The winning sign would be put up by late March.

A Wellington City Council spokesman said a building consent application was being processed.