New airport noise footprint ‘lower than Kingsford Smith’

The number of homes inconvenienced by intense noise levels at second Sydney airport is expected to be as few as 330.

The number of homes inconvenienced by intense noise levels when a proposed second Sydney airport at Badgerys Creek begins operation is expected to be as few as 330 — compared with almost 30,000 within a similar noise zone near Kingsford Smith Airport.

Airport specialists said yesterday the intended northeastern flight path for the first runway to be built at Badgerys Creek created the ­opportunity for around-the-clock arrivals and departures while a curfew remained for Sydney airport.

Under the proposal for the northeastern fight path, the noise zone for a second airport in Sydney’s west would mainly cover a non-residential employment area owned by the NSW government and set aside for light manufacturing and logistics businesses.

Barry Murphy, former chief executive of the Federal Airports Corporation, said some homeowners would experience noise or inconvenience, but the number ­affected was vastly fewer than for Sydney’s current airport.

“There will be some minor ­impact but it will be worth it,” Mr Murphy said. “This is to be a new major metropolitan airport that recognises growth in the movement of people and freight. When it comes down to individuals, ­people are entitled to raise concerns, but this is a very important project. It will be another 10 years before it is operating; people can make their choices between now and then.”

Bob Meyer, a planning specialist and director at Cox Richardson architects, said the footprint for the proposed airport and its northeastern flight path had not changed in recent times.

Based on aerial photographs, Mr Meyer said 328 homes at Badgerys Creek in Sydney’s west fell within a noise zone similar to the current one for 29,457 houses near Kingsford Smith.

Looking to a wider area affected by noise, Mr Meyer stood by estimates that 2913 homes at Badgerys Creek would have similar noise to about 86,000 in Sydney’s inner-west Leichhardt area.

“Nothing has changed since those estimates were first made because nobody is allowing development under the flight path,” Mr Meyer said.

“Most of the footprint is over the employment area, so I’d say nothing has changed.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would support the Turnbull government’s plans to proceed with the Badgerys Creek development after a decision by Sydney Airport, owner of the Kingsford Smith site, to turn down the ­option of building a second airport in Sydney’s west.

“We are certainly doing our part in ­investing hundreds of millions of dollars in projects around the precinct already, and we will do what we can to make sure it is built as quickly as possible,’’ she said.

NSW Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the airport project was expected to inject $1.9bn into the western Sydney economy during construction and provide 11,000 jobs.