Tara Murray
Keilor Residents and Ratepayers Association fear residents will be forgotten when future operations of the Melbourne Airport are considered.
The association has made a submission to the Melbourne Airport Environs Safeguarding Standing Advisory Committee, which was set up to advise the planning minister on improvements to the planning provisions safeguarding the airport.
Airport operators Australia Pacific Airports (Melbourne) has asked the state government to give it more power to intervene in developments which could impact aircraft operations or lead to noise complaints.
In its submission, the Keilor association urged the committee to consider the consequences any changes would have on residents and businesses surrounding the airport.
Association president John Jennison, who will address the committee at a public hearing this week, said there are surrounding businesses that are all affected by the airport’s operation.
He said they all have “genuine concerns” that should be heard.
“Commercial airports have a right to expect a reasonable profit but not at the excessive expense of the individual.”
The association’s submission outlines Keilor residents’ concerns and expectations of living with an airport.
It states “living together becomes difficult and confrontational” when airport corporations expand capacity and more people move into residential growth areas around the airport.
“Keilor Residents & Ratepayers Association, who are long established neighbours on the south side of Melbourne Airport, are advocating for better protection of their environment, houses, investments, living standards, health and community.
“Rapidly expanding greater ‘Melbourne’ must be considered in the long term … [and] a holistic approach to planning, control and management at all levels of government must be instigated … to ensure that the needs of residents like us in Keilor cannot be overridden.”
The association has called for a cap on passenger numbers at the airport – not greater than 40 million passengers – and for a second international airport to be constructed once Melbourne’s population hits five million people.
“Two major airports is an expected requirement for a major international city,” the submission states.
It suggests aircraft flight paths for approaches and departures, where possible, should follow green wedges and industrial corridors and calls for noise abatement procedures to be reviewed and made more effective, including the reinstatement of an EMU (noise monitor) at Keilor. Monitor readings should also be made publicly available.
Group spokeswoman Susan Jennison told Star Weekly that it was currently “near impossible” to lodge noise complaints.
She said the airport’s record of complaints did not accurately reflect the number of complaints that had been raised.
