Essendon airport buffer concerns raised by Moonee Valley Council three years ago

CONCERN about the lack of a buffer area between Essendon airport and housing was raised by a council three years before Tuesday’s horrific crash.

CONCERN about the lack of a buffer area between Essendon airport and housing was raised by a council three years ago.

The City of Moonee Valley said in a submission that the airport was unique due to its proximity to residential land.

“With this lack of separation between airport operations and sensitive uses, council’s view is that more work should be undertaken above and beyond what is required within the legislation,” said the submission to the airport’s draft master plan.

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The council also said corporate jet use was not an essential service and that the increase in helicopter movements was a worry.

Amid a call for the airport’s closure yesterday, airport boss Essendon Fields CEO Chris Cowan defended the co-existence of aviation operations and shops like the Direct Factory Outlet.

“There’s not an airport that I’ve been to that doesn’t have some form of retail precinct and shopping, and/or hotels or the like,” he said.

Mr Cowan said that developments on airport land were subject to stringent planning controls in line with Australian and international aviation standards.

“This (the crash into the DFO) will certainly raise questions with people, and people are entitled to have their views and we respect that,” he said.

Authorities conduct a line search at Essendon airport. Picture: Rob Leeson

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Anti-airport campaigner Helen van den Berg said it was “stupidity” that new homes were being built hard up against the airport fence, and she called for aviation operations to be transferred to Avalon airport

Ms van den Berg, who ran the former Close Essendon Airport campaign, welcomed the proposed inquiry into the accident by State Coroner Sara Hinchey, but urged more.

“I’m going to request the Coroner to investigate the risks associated with that site to the public,” she said.

RMIT University planning expert Professor Michael Buxton said he wasn’t surprised by this week’s crash — “it was a “disaster waiting to happen”.

The scene soon after the plane crash at Essendon DFO. Picture: 9 News

“It is clear that airports such as Essendon cannot safely act both as airports and as major commercial centres. Privatisation has put commercial gain before public safety,” he said.

“One quarter of the 300ha Essendon site is now leased to commercial tenants. These activities all attract large numbers of people placing them potentially in harm’s way,” he says in today’s Herald Sun.

But Mr Cowan said it wasn’t unusual for efficient airports around the world to rely on a combination of revenues.

“There’s a lot of land around that’s under utilised and surplus to aviation needs,” he said.

The airport reopened early this morning after it was closed due to Tuesday’s crash.

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