By Oliver Lees
Melbourne Airport has revealed its plans for its third runway, following the release of key documents that will guide the process.
The airport released its draft Master Plan and preliminary Major Development Plan for the runway today, which will aim to increase capacity at the state’s largest airport.
The planning documents detail the vision of a north-south orientated runway that is 3000-metres long, with an estimated completion date by the end of the decade.
The draft Master Plan indicates that the runway will be located approximately 1.3 kilometres west of the existing north-south runway.
The airport is inviting feedback from the community on the planning documents from February 5 and will host in-person community forums in surrounding areas.
Project construction cannot begin until the plan has been approved by the federal Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Minister Barnaby Joyce.
Melbourne Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi said he was excited to share this first step in the runway’s development, which he said was crucial to meet the growing number of travellers.
“Our existing two-runway configuration was nearing capacity before the onset of the pandemic, and prior to COVID-19, airlines and their customers frequently experienced delays in peak periods due to the airport’s congested cross-runway system,” he said.
“We are giving as much detail as possible so people can really understand what is going on and [people can] give informed comments.
“You have to come back to the basics: why do you expand airports? It really comes back to the economic benefit it delivers for the state, the jobs it creates.” Mr Stambi said airport data suggests that about 37,000 jobs will be created through the construction and operation of the runway by 2046.
“Melbourne Airport is already a major local employment hub, and we expect most of the new jobs will be filled by people living in nearby suburbs,” he said.
The additional runway will also see changes made to regular flight paths, which could see greater noise pollution for residents of Sunbury, Bulla and the Macedon Ranges.
As part of the consultation process, the airport has designed an interactive noise tool that allows the community to explore future aircraft tracks, different operating modes and time of day comparisons from their location.
Information leaflets will be distributed to a million homes in surrounding council areas.
A Melbourne Airport spokesperson also confirmed that the north of Sunbury Road will be used as a route for airport construction activities.
“The main impact on traffic will be the movement of additional trucks travelling to and from the site,” the spokesperson said.
“As the truck traffic is spread across multiple access routes over a period of some time, the additional trucks represent only a small increase in the current volumes on the road network.”
Traffic will be spread between the Calder Freeway and the M80 Ring Road via interchange ramps.
The airport intends to limit its contribution to surrounding traffic flows by sourcing the major of its fill on-site.
Community consultation will continue until May 16.
Details: www.melbourneairport.com.au/runway
