Warnervale Airport: Councillors renew calls for masterplan to be exhibited
It’s an issue that keeps coming back to Central Coast Council – the future of Warnervale Airport. It’s coming back tonight with two councillors saying development of an aviation hub is “critical” in the face of COVID-19 and the recession.
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It’s the debate that keeps coming back to Central Coast Council – the future of Warnervale Airport.
The issue is back again at Monday night’s meeting with two councillors calling for the Central Coast Airport Masterplan to be put on public exhibition.
Councillors Greg Best and Bruce McLachlan said in the face of COVID-19 and the recession, economic drivers such as conversion of the airport into an aviation business hub were critical.
It has been more than two years since councillors voted to stop all work at the airport and shelve any plans for development of the aviation hub.
Since then, the issue has resurfaced as a rescission motion on numerous occasions and been voted down.
Councillors Best, McLachlan and Jilly Pilon have indicated they just want the community to have a say on the $450,000 masterplan which sets out the aviation hub development.
The masterplan details stages of development for the regional airport, including provision for manufacturing, training and air tourism services.
It includes plans for more than 30ha of terminal, industrial hangar, and development site space.
In 2016, Premier Mike Baird made the trip to the coast to announce international aircraft builder Amphibian Aerospace Industries (AAI) would relocate its offshore manufacturing to the coast as part of the airport redevelopment.
Two years later the contract terminated the 40-year lease agreement with AAI, despite legal advice that it could result in millions of dollars in damages.
Earlier this year, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of NSW (AOPA) head Benjamin Morgan addressed council over its inaction to develop an aviation hub.
“The current impression across the aviation industry is that Central Coast is closed for aviation business,” he said.
“In all my travels around the world, great cities pride themselves on having strong and vibrant aviation and an airport. It opens the door to so much opportunity.
He said if a hub was developed, AOPA would relate to the region along with many other aviation businesses from Bankstown and Camden.
“This airport is vital to the long term future of this region,” he said.