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The federal government has approved Melbourne Airport’s long-awaited third runway.
The 3,000-metre runway, planned to open in 2031, will be built parallel to the existing north-south runway and 1.3 kilometres to the west. Its opening will allow for simultaneous take-offs and landings, which the airport says will increase capacity and reduce delays.
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“Australia’s vast distances and Melbourne’s position on the globe mean demand for air access will continue to grow as our population increases,” Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said.
“The new north-south runway will ensure Victoria’s primary international gateway has adequate capacity to serve the state’s needs for future generations.
“Sydney and Brisbane already operate parallel runway systems, so this will ensure that Melbourne does not become a handbrake on the national air network or the national economy.”
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said she has imposed the “most comprehensive set of conditions for a project of this type” in order to address noise concerns of nearby residents.
These include restoring the length of the east-west runway for noise sharing; design and implementation of a noise-sharing and airspace plan; implementing a noise amelioration program for affected communities; and conducting a community health study into noise impacts both before and after the runway’s construction.
“My decision to require that the airport maintain sufficient capacity on the existing east-west runway is to support effective noise sharing at Melbourne Airport, so that no one community bears the brunt of the airport’s growth,” she said.
“The noise-sharing plan will be developed by the airport, and in consultation with local communities, over the years to come.
“This is a long-term project – the runway won’t be open for some time. Melbourne’s third runway will bring it in line with Sydney and other globally-competitive airports.
“But these conditions, along with relevant environmental requirements, mean that we are balancing the growth of the airport, with the needs of the communities on the ground.”
Argus says the airport has agreed to restore the length of the east-west runway and will be “facilitating noise attenuation for dwellings in the most impacted areas”.
“We’ve heard the concerns from some residents about noise, and we’ve worked closely with the government throughout the approval process to develop terms for a comprehensive noise attenuation program that will support the people most affected by aircraft noise,” she said.
“We know the community will have more questions and we look forward to working through those over the coming years as the project progresses.”
Dr Chrystal Zhang, aviation expert at RMIT, said the third runway is badly needed in spite of the noise concerns.
“A third runway will enhance Melbourne Airport’s operational capacity and help minimise flight delays. It will accommodate more traffic, improve the passenger travel experience and reduce airline operational cost,” she said.
“An impact on surrounding suburbs is inevitable. But the airport is exploring noise impacts and will continue to monitor noise levels across the next two decades to attend to the community’s needs.
“The airport will also undertake comprehensive consultations with stakeholders and communities to ensure this impact is minimised. In particular, it is encouraging that the airport will consult on the runway orientation and length as well as the flight path design.”
The airport last year installed three portable noise monitors to examine the potential impact of the third runway on surrounding communities.
Geoff Fairless
says:Unfortunately, Minister King has fallen for the noise sharing trick, being vociferously opposed in Brisbane.
By forcing the retention of RWY 27, the Minister, through CASA regulations, will impose single RWY 27 ops on MEL whenever the crosswind exceeds 20 knots on the the the two parallels. This is the drama experienced in SYD whenever a southerly buster comes through.
Brisbane smartly abandoned the cross runway so as not to fall into the same trap, but now it has been mandated in MEL by an ignorant, badly advised, Minister.