Proposed flightpaths out of Sydney International (Kingsford Smith) Airport could see up to 168 extra flights a day over suburbs such as Kingsgrove, Bexley North, Bardwell Park and Bardwell Valley, a Bayside Council report states.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Noise impacts increase for residents in the northwest of the Bayside Local Government Area was one of several issues identified in Bayside Council's assessment of the Commonwealth Government's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on proposed flight paths for the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.
The predicted impacts on Bayside Council are primarily from the change in the flight paths for aircraft taking off from Runway 25 (the east-west runway) at Kingsford Smith Airport.
The proposed changes to flight paths would see more aircraft turn over Rockdale towards Parramatta.
The EIS identifies that suburbs such as Kingsgrove, Bexley North, Bardwell Park and Bardwell Valley would receive an additional 72 jet flights per day based on peak conditions from March 2019.
But the council said this could be much higher.
"This estimate may not be a realistic worst case, as winds in March are typically from the southeast. If this runway were in use for an entire day (as may occur in September and the winter months), these suburbs could receive up to 168 additional jet flights per day," the council's submission states.
"Council recommends that the Department investigate alternative Sydney International Airport flight paths that share the noise burden more fairly across a broader swathe of Greater Sydney than is presently proposed."
The new flightpaths may also impact future planning.
"The EIS as exhibited does not model the impact of the changes on Sydney International Airport's Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) contours.
The proposed flightpaths may see an expansion of the ANEF contours.
The NSW the planning system takes into account ANEF contours which can disable access to Complying Development Codes and declare land to be strategically unsuitable for specific land uses.
"Without projected ANEF mapping, strategic planning decisions across several suburbs are placed in doubt," the council's submission states.
Residents lodging objections to the proposed flightpaths included a retired Commercial Pilot and Instructor with decades of aviation experience.
The resident objects to the proposed flight pathways on the basis that they disproportionately impact residents and public spaces in and around their suburbs.
A comprehensive Environmental Impact Study should be be undertaken on the proposed changes to this region before any further action is taken the resident said.
"An easy fix could be for the aircraft to delay turning to the right until at least 3,000 feet to alleviate the intense noise levels over the Wolli Creek Regional Park," the council's submission said.
"The residents affected by the proposed new 07/25 concentrated flight path should be treated fairly and an alternative path turning to the south should be included as a simple matter of fairness to share this burden and not concentrate it on a single group of residents of Sydney," the council's submission concluded.
Bayside Council Mayor, Bill Saravinovski said, "We have a very good working relationship with Sydney Airport, and I am confident that our concerns will be taken into consideration.
