THE future of Moorabbin Airport is up in the air.
Submissions closed on Monday 12 July for Moorabbin Airport’s draft Master Plan.
Among the objectives listed in the Master Plan are “growing flight training activity to 1,800 students per year, an increase of 450 students from 2020 levels and forecast as the safe maximum achievable within airspace capacity constraints of the airport”, “investing a further $300 million in aviation and non-aviation activities by 2029”, and “simplifying the airport’s planning framework by reducing the number of land use precincts from seven to five, and aligning associated zoning and planning controls for aviation and non-aviation areas”.
Kingston Council has come out in opposition to some of the draft Master Plan, stating that it “includes too much non-aviation development that imposes on neighbouring homes, could compromise safety, and undermines the site’s prime purpose as a centre for aviation.”
Council says it has made a submission outlining its concerns, including “the loss of green open spaces and the extent to which this exacerbates existing urban heat island issues associated with the airport” and that “unconstrained retail, industrial and commercial development on the airport land poses a risk to other activity centres across Kingston.”
The mayor Steve Staikos said “development at Moorabbin Airport should be aviation related and not come at the expense of neighbouring residents or if it puts aviation safety at risk. Buildings should be located away from homes and should leave plenty of open space for emergency landings.”
Cr Tracey Davies said “the Moorabbin Airport Corporation needs to listen to the aviation tenants, and to their neighbours in the streets surrounding the airport and make the changes we have outlined in council’s submission. The airport needs to scrap the plans for even more large big-box development, respect the amenity of neighbouring residents, and provide adequate space for aviation activities at Moorabbin Airport.”
The draft Master Plan will be sent to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Barnaby Joyce, for approval.
To read the draft Master Plan visit moorabbinairport.com.au
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 14 July 2021
