Esther Lauaki
By Esther Lauaki
Brimbank council will raise residents’ concerns about aircraft noise and other issues occurring beneath and adjacent to Melbourne Airport flight paths with the state government.
Council will make a submission to a new state airport environs advisory committee, after councillors endorsed the submission at this month’s council meeting.
Brimbank is located south of Melbourne Airport and is impacted by its aircraft operations, particularly in areas located beneath and adjacent to flight paths.
Residents have raised concerns with council around aircraft noise near current and future flight paths, as well as the potential health, educational, pollution and amenity impacts of the airport’s operations.
The Melbourne Airport Safeguarding Environs Standing Committee has been set up to provide advice to the planning minister on planning proposals of strategic significance within the environment surrounding Melbourne Airport and noise exposure.
Mayor Georgina Papafotiou said council’s submission to the committee looks at land planning around the airport and how it can be better integrated and updated, including bringing noise exposure forecasts used in land use planning around the airport in line with current and future Australian standards.
“Melbourne Airport is an important asset for our state economy and our local area, with many jobs in north-western Melbourne linked directly and indirectly to the airport,” Cr Papafotiou said.
“We welcome the opportunity to provide a submission to the committee around the suitability of current measures to protect and safeguard the operations of Melbourne Airport, particularly its 24-hour curfew free operation.
“We need to look at how we balance population growth and intensification of development in areas like Sunshine, with the need to manage aircraft noise.”
Brimbank, Hume and Melton councils have also jointly written to the Victorian government to seek a revised process for how improvements to the planning safeguards around Melbourne Airport are made.
Council is calling on the committee to extend consultation to groups such as schools, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, aged care facilities, parks and organisations directly beneath the flight path.
Esther Lauaki
