Commercial development at Parafield Airport stalled by COVID-19 as noise complaints increase
A Harbour Town-style development at Parafield Airport has been stalled by COVID-19 while noise complaints about training flights have increased as more people work from home.
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Developers of a new multimillion-dollar retail development at Parafield Airport have delayed the project for the second time, blaming COVID-19
The $50 million complex — known as the District Outlet Centre (DOC) — was originally due to open in 2018 but was stalled because of economic conditions.
The centre has been promoted as replicating the Harbour Town development at West Beach, which houses fashion outlets, sporting good stores, homeware retailers and alfresco dining.
Its Western Australia developers, The Devwest Group, have told the owners of Parafield Airport they had decided to delay the project again because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a report presented to a recent management committee meeting, Parafield Airport Ltd (PAL) said it had agreed to delay the project, which would have 65 tenancies covering 10,700sq m.
“The developer of the DOC has advised that due to the impact of COVID-19 and the resultant economic, financial and logistical issues, the commencement of building works is on hold for the foreseeable future,” said the report.
“The developer has advised that they remain committed to the project and have support from their main stakeholders to delay commencement until such time as the market conditions improve.
“PAL has agreed to the developer’s request and will continue to liaise with the developer on a revised commencement date.”
The decision to delay the project comes as noise complaints about aviation training flights from Parafield have dramatically increased with more residents working from home because of COVID-19.
“The increased numbers are not unexpected given that many people are now working from home and have not previously been aware of the daytime aircraft traffic,” said the report.
Salisbury Council recently heard how residents were particularly upset about training flights being conducted during Easter.
Cr Adam Duncan said the council was working with federal authorities, Parafield Airport and aviation schools to try to minimise noise complaints from training flights.
“There are no federal or state government restrictions on flight training operations,” he said.
“We are currently working on a letter to all relevant ministers and senators asking for support for a change to any relevant legislation on the times training schools can do circuits above residential areas.
“We are trying to balance the operation of the airport and the aviation schools, which we support 100 per cent, with providing relief for increasingly suffering residents.”
The biggest aviation school at Parafield, Flight Training Adelaide, has tried to move some of its operations to regional areas, such as Port Lincoln and Murray Bridge, without success.
Cr Duncan said the success of Flight Training Adelaide (FTA), which accounts for 80 per cent of the thousands of training flights at Parafield each year, “should be celebrated”.
“But they have clearly outgrown Parafield and it simply is not fair to the local affected communities that they are able to operate in a near unlimited capacity shielded by the lack of any federal or state laws regarding noise impacts on communities,” he said.
The PAL report said COVID-19 had put a large strain on FTA and other aviation schools, with many having to lay off staff.
“PAL will continue to work with FTA and the other schools at the airport to try to minimise aircraft noise impacts on residents,” it said.
The company said it acknowledged its responsibility “to work with the local community and to minimise their negative experience regarding Parafield”.
“Please rest assured that FTA will go out of its way not to inconvenience its neighbours in and around Parafield,” it said.
Air Services Australia said it had asked airports to “advise their local training schools to be mindful of minimising noise over residential areas” during the COVID-19 lockdown.