Experts debate plan to halt development close to Moorabbin Airport runway just hours before Anthony Lidell Mordialloc crash
FURTHER development around Moorabbin Airport runway could be grounded, with plans to create a buffer zone to boost safety after last month’s fatal plane crash.
Inner South
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A BUFFER zone to boost safety could be created around Moorabbin Airport.
The plan was discussed at a meeting of the Moorabbin Aiport Community Aviation Consultation Group, the same day as the fiery crash in a Mordialloc street that killed pilot Anthony Liddell.
New public safety zones would restrict building close to the takeoff and landing end of a runway.
Much of the land at Moorabbin Airport has already been developed — with factory outlet shops and an indoor children’s play centre within about 500m of the runway.
PSZ guidelines prepared by the National Airports Safeguarding Group discourage new or replacement development, changes of use for existing buildings or rezoning of land unless it resulted in fewer people living, working or congregating within the zone.
Unlike the US and the UK, Australia has no legislation restricting development based on the risk of an aircraft crash.
A spokesman for Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities told Moorabbin Leader the guidelines would be submitted for endorsement by transport and planning ministers at the next Transport Infrastructure Council meeting in November.
“Once the guideline is endorsed it will be the responsibility of state and territory governments to implement it,” the spokesman said.
“The department would expect Leased Federal Airports to apply the guideline from the date of endorsement.”
Airports would not be asked to review existing masterplans, but would be expected to consider the guideline in future developments.
Cr Rosemary West, a council representative at CACG meetings, said she wondered if Mr Liddell “had lost height and couldn’t get over the warehouses?”
She urged the Federal Government to curb non-aviation-related development that “hems in runways in this way.”
Following the deadly plane crash into a DFO store at Essendon last year, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia executive director Benjamin Morgan said the privatisation of airport land was one of the biggest issues faced by the aviation industry in the past 30 years and he held grave concerns for airports in fast-growing suburbs like Moorabbin.
“Moorabbin is one of those airports where we are seeing serious non-aviation developments,” Mr Morgan said.
Four American tourists and pilot Max Quartermain died in the Essendon crash on February 21 last year and Mr Liddell died when his plane crashed into Scarlet St, Mordialloc, on June 8.
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