The next crop of councillors – to be elected this coming September – will have the responsibility of deciding the future of Central Coast Airport at Warnervale.
A report summarising the community’s reaction to the draft master plan, which was out on public exhibition earlier this year, says the final master plan should be ready to be adopted at Central Coast Council’s June meeting but a business plan won’t be ready until after the elections.
Council will be in caretaker mode by the August meeting and the local government elections are on September 14.
A total of 118 written submissions were received during the public consultation period, with 76 positive about the draft plan, 33 negative and nine neutral.
A random telephone survey of 294 residents, conducted between March 14 and 20, resulted in 83 per cent of respondents indicating they were at least “somewhat supportive” of the master plan.
Consultation with the aviation sector is underway.
Council said both the commercial and community feedback will inform the final Central Coast Airport Master Plan which is being finalised for adoption in June.
The community consultation report includes answers to resident comments.
For example, residents said that the costs and funding model to deliver the master plan should be included in the master plan and said there was inadequate detail.
“Following on from community feedback and further clarification of the airport land, Council engaged specialist services for the development of a financial feasibility analysis to support a business case for the airport,” Council said in response.
“This report will identify economic delivery models for the proposed upgrades noted in the master plan.
“This business case will be reviewed by the elected Council, when appointed.”
Council said a series of upgrades will be considered to improve the operations and safety of the airport and these will be subject to endorsement of the airport business case by the elected Council body.
There is no proposal to lengthen the runway.
The respondents in Micromex Research’s random telephone survey were selected on the criteria of 32 suburbs flagged as potentially affected suburbs.
Affected suburbs were defined as being “in the north/north-east of the local government area and are therefore closer to Central Coast Airport, and could arguably benefit from more employment/business opportunities at the site, and/or (be) closer to some of the more common light aircraft flight paths along the coast and over Tuggerah lakes,’’ the report says.
The key findings of the telephone survey found 83 per cent were at least somewhat supportive of the plan.
There was a significantly higher level of support amongst those aged 18-34; 72 per cent were aware of the Central Coast Airport, owned by Council; and one in three were aware of Council’s draft master plan to develop the airport.
Key drivers of the master plan’s importance to the region were noted as sustainable growth, local employment and supporting vulnerable community members; with concerns in regard to not knowing enough about the plan, environmental protection and noise pollution.
Council noted that 74 per cent of respondents agreed that protecting the environmentally sensitive land surrounding the airport was important, and 55 per cent agreed that access to local aviation services was a high consideration.
Council said an ecological analysis of the surrounding biodiversity values of land adjacent the airport was expected to be completed by June.
Additionally, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment is considering coast-wide Strategic Biodiversity Certification which includes the airport and surrounding lands.
“It is important to note that expansion of the airport plans into these areas will only be possible if biodiversity certification is successfully achieved through the legislative process,” Council said.
“Further additional key technical studies are required to be undertaken to give greater clarity into the future operations at the airport.”
These include a Noise Impact Assessment, including the development of a Fly Neighbourly Policy and Air Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) contour mapping; a review to ensure compliance with civil aviation legislation and sustainable infrastructure development; and economic feasibility modelling for the business case.
Council said it would engage specialist services for the development of a financial feasibility analysis to support a business case for the airport.
Although Hart is expected to adopt the finalised master plan in June, that will not commit Council to any future financial obligations until the business case is finalised and endorsed by Council.
See previous Coast News stories on the contents of the draft masterplan: https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2023/12/airport-masterplan-on-exhibition/
Merilyn Vale
For heaven sakes No not the new councillors look at the mess the last two councils got the Coast in. These new lot won’t have a clue unless we are going to have old recycled councillors elected and heaven help that idea also.