Federal government scrap Blue Mountains flight path in final impact statement for Western Sydney airport

The federal government has been slammed over ‘questionable’ changes to future flight paths, with the only route to be scrapped being above a marginal Labor seat, while western Sydney continues to come off the worst.

The federal government has been slammed over its “questionable” move to scrap just one flight path from the future airport, which happens to be above a marginal Labor seat.

Changes to the controversial flight path designs for Western Sydney Airport were unveiled in the final Environmental Impact Statement published earlier this month, with Federal member for Lindsay, Liberal MP Melissa McIntosh, saying they had “questionable political motivation”.

The changes were made in response to more than 8000 submissions received regarding the document’s draft.

The arrival route ‘Approach A13’ for preferred Runway 05, previously slated to fly over the Blue Mountains towns of Linden and Woodford — which have respective populations of 471 and 1,953 — has been scrapped.

Liberal MP Melissa McIntosh says the changes are questionable.

Instead aircraft arriving from the north will take route ‘Approach A10’ which flies over the Blue Mountains before landing.

According to the final environmental impact statement, planes flying over Linden and Woodford will be at 12,000 feet instead of the previous 5000 feet, resulting in a “measurable noise benefit to these communities”.

Additionally departure route “D10”, for preferred runway 23, has been shifted 2km to the west of Linden to fly over the Blue Mountains National Park instead.

Minister for Infrastructure, Catherine King, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and local MP for Werriwa Anne Stanley, after a press conference at the Western Sydney International Airport. Picture: Gaye Gerard

An arrival route has also been shifted to fly south over the coastline of Bundeena.

The remaining changes are regarding reciprocal runway operations, with the introduction of a “night-time noise abatement procedure” which aims to avoid the suburbs of Wallacia, Mulgoa and Linden between 11pm and 5.30am, at the detriment of Silverdale, Warragamba, Megalong Valley and Douglas Park.

However reciprocal runway operations can only be used in certain conditions with fine weather and limited air traffic.

There have been no changes to the flight paths slated over Penrith and its surrounding areas, with the suburb of St Clair — population 19,942 — set to cop planes flying lower than 50,000ft from three different flight paths.

Construction on Western Sydney Airport.

Ms McIntosh said the changes had “questionable political motivation” behind them, and called on Minister for Infrastructure Catherine King to explain the decision making process.

“Why is it impossible to shift the other flight paths yet change one that isn’t even the most affected community but is a Labor held seat,” she said.

“It would be good for the minister to clarify the decisions so everyone understand. She has been very vocal in her criticism of the former coalition government when a seat was to receive grants, so she should be very willing to justify the decisions made on the flight paths and answer questions about why she couldn’t move the other ones.”

The Minister for Infrastructure Catherine King says the suggestion is “ludicrous”.

“I don’t know it passes the pub test on transparent process and decision making.”

St Clair resident Ken Mott, who has been actively advocating for changes to the flight paths, said the move was designed to “dull the noise form certain resident groups”.

“Making changes to satisfy one community at the expense of another community without any kind of net gain,” he said.

When approached for comment, a spokesperson for Minister King said it was “ludicrous” to suggest the changes were politically motivated.

“Designing flight paths is an extremely complex and technical process and the notion that there is any political clout in their finalisation is ludicrous,” the spokesperson said

“Let’s not forget it was the Coalition Government who selected the orientation of the runway and airspace design principles – the two most significant determinants of flight path design, we’ve been working hard to fix their mess.”

In a statement a spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts said all submissions to the draft statement were “treated equally”.

“All submissions were treated equally and analysed to determine if any suggested alternatives could be safely implemented within the existing and proposed airspace,” the spokesperson said.