Western Sydney councils up in arms over new airport

By ABHA HAVAL.

As the Federal Government announces a preliminary 24 hour flight schedule for the new Western Sydney International (WSI) Airport at Badgerys Creek, noise levels and environmental impacts, caused by the proposed flight paths, have emerged as significant risks.

The long-awaited flight plans have been released nearly 5 years after the construction began at the airport, which is well on track for the airport’s opening in 2026. The federal government has launched online tools that will allow people to see potential noise levels and aircraft movements over each area.

Flight paths analysis shows that the airport will create a vacuum level of noise more than 100 times a day by 2040, reaching as high as 60 decibels in a larger geographical extent. Noise will echo up to 70 decibels  in the areas surrounding the narrow strip of airport.

The preliminary flight plans show Penrith and areas south of Mount Druitt and Warragamba to be the most affected by the noise levels.

Blue Mountains area heavily impacted

As majority of the Western Sydney area is encompassed by the Greater Blue Mountains, natural reserves and conservation areas, the environmental impact could be significant in that region.

Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill expressed deep concerns on the proposed flight paths over the communities in the lower and mid mountain regions and Greater Blue Mountains areas. He has vowed to fight the proposal.

About 40,000 Blue Mountain residents could be affected by the proposed flight paths.

Mayor Greenhill said, “the flight paths show a complete disregard for the people of the Blue Mountains as well as the Greater Blue Mountains Heritage Area.”

“Our quality of life in the Blue Mountains is clearly threatened.”

“Planes will be flying over our homes and our World Heritage National Park 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No curfew. The people of the Blue Mountains deserve better,” he continued.

“We’re one of only two cities in the world within a World Heritage Listed area and the Blue Mountains National Park has the highest visitation of any National Park in Australia.”

“If our World Heritage Listing is pulled because aircraft noise adversely impacts the World Heritage values of Blue Mountains, then the four million tourists a year who come to the Blue Mountains will evaporate – and so will the jobs they create.”

Mayor Greenhill calls on the Federal Government for equal protections

Mayor Greenhill asks the federal government to give the same protections to the people of western Sydney as there are for those in eastern Sydney.

The Western Sydney International Airport will be the first in the state with no curfew unlike Sydney’s Kingsford Smith airport, which limits aircraft movement with an 11pm – 6am curfew due to the close proximity to residential areas.

“Why should one airport bear the burden of no curfew and not another?”

“Blue Mountains City Council opposes flight path activity being concentrated over the lower to mid Blue Mountains, and the impact on our local community, quality of life and the environment. I will continue to fight for our community and environment with every ounce I have,” said Mayor Greenhill.

Areas to the south-west of the airport face overnight flights

Meanwhile, sitting at the heart of the noise, residents in Silverdale, Luddenham, Greendale, and Badgerys Creek are expressing their dismay with overbearing noise levels and upcoming sleepless nights.

Wollondilly Mayor Matt Gould told City Hub, “the flight paths… show as expected, residents in some parts of Wollondilly Shire are going to be significantly affected by aircraft noise.”

“It appears that especially at night, planes will be sent in Wollondilly’s direction to minimise the impact on other more populated areas. Those in the north of the Shire, particularly around Silverdale will see some quite significant impacts at night as the airport grows.”

A Silverdale resident who had just moved in to his house told 10 News, “it’s going to sound like they’re leaning in on top of our house.”

‘I understand progress… but I think if it was put on the table initially, people could make an informed decision as to whether they’re going to accept that.”

The new airport will incur severe noise-related land use protections in surrounding areas

The federal government has taken steps to minimise the impacts of increasing noise levels on the areas surrounding the airport by enacting long-standing planning restrictions to protect the areas from encroaching residential development.

As per the planning controls put in by the government, restricting the types of building that can be constructed near the airport will keep the number of people affected low.

Mayor Gould said, “up in the Silverdale area, there’s also a number of very significant planning restrictions that have been put in place that prevent landowners from building granny flats, and require agricultural producers to do additional reports in order to be able to farm.”

“The frustrating thing is that Wollondilly is being severely impacted by the new Aerotropolis, but at the moment we’re seeing very little benefit.”

“We’re not seeing the investment in infrastructure that we so desperately need here and we’re not seeing money that is flowing into areas directly around the airport.”

“Its really unfair at the moment that there isn’t any clarity on the noise or remediation for affected residents in places like Silverdale.”

“If we’re going to bear the grunt of it, then the government needs to be doing their fair bit to make sure that our residents are being appropriately looked after.”

A draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is due to be released by the government in the second half of 2023. It will examine the noise, environmental and social impacts of the proposed flight paths.