Badgerys Creek airport noise to be shared: Government will rewrite flight paths

THE Turnbull government will rewrite proposed flight paths for Badgerys Creek airport and scrap a merge point for incoming aircraft following a backlash.

• SHORTEN’S BADGERYS CREEK UNSAFE FOR TAKEOFF

THE Turnbull government will rewrite proposed flight paths for Sydney’s second airport at Badgerys Creek and scrap a merge point for incoming aircraft following a community backlash over noise.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that a single “point merge” over Blaxland in the Blue Mountains, contained in an environmental-impact statement, will be ditched.

This would have directed all aircraft to a single airspace point over Blaxland before making their final approach­ into the airport — concentrating noise over a single­ community.

Badgerys Creek Airport artist's impression / Supplied

While studies have shown any aircraft noise from the new airport would be negligible, an unexpected backlash has prompted Major Projects Minister­ Paul Fletcher to scrap the initial plan and ask for new flight paths that disperse the limited noise over a wider area.

“It is very important that the new airport operates in a way which addresses concerns about flight paths and aircraft noise so as to meet the expectations of the community,” Mr Fletcher said.

“The Turnbull government has determined, based on community feedback received to date, that the single merge point over Blaxland as illustrated in the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will not be part of the airspace plans for a Western Sydney Airport.

“Allocating the flight paths to minimise the individual impact on any one point will form part of a comprehensive noise-mitigation plan to be contained in the final EIS.

“Developing optimal flight paths to minimise noise and environmental impact requires detailed technical work and expert input. That work is under way, with a clear direction given that the flight paths will not merge to a single point over Blaxland.

“The Turnbull government fully recognises the need to minimise noise impacts for the people of Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains and we will continue to work with the community as the airspace design moves forward.”

It is believed western Sydney and Blue Mountains Liberal MPs including Fiona Scott, Russell Matheson, Louise Markus, Fiona Scott and Angus Taylor all raised concerns after 5000 community responses were received in public submissions on the EIS.

The Blaxland single point merge directly affected Mr Matheson’s seat of Macarthur.

A final EIS will be delivered later this year with the new flight paths.

Federal Minister for Major Projects, Territories and Local Government Paul Fletcher.

Badgerys Creek mai terminal artist's impression / Supplied