Sydney’s Leichhardt Council has issued a report and analysis by staff to show the planned expansion of Sydney Airport, will double aircraft movements over the Municipality by 2020.
Mayor of Leichhardt Cr Rochelle Porteous said Sydney Airport Corporation Limited’s current curfew and cap will remain and while this may well be so it will not protect residents from significant increases in aircraft movements.
“Sydney Airport is projecting a doubling of aircraft movements by 2020 and a fair slice of these flights are likely to end up over Leichhardt,” she said.
“Under the existing agreement, aircraft movements are capped at 80 per hour, with the airport currently operating at around 60 movements an hour during the morning peak and 50 during the evening peak and total daily aircraft movements over Sydney of approximately 530.”
“However, by increasing the amount of air traffic to up to 80 movements a day and by extending the peak hour periods, the number of aircraft movements are projected to grow to up to 1070 movements over Sydney by 2020.”
Cr Porteous said Leichhardt is already wearing way too much of the burden of aircraft noise.
“This is only set to get a lot worse if the Sydney Airport expansion plans go ahead.
“In terms of Leichhardt LGA, we are currently experiencing an average of 148 aircraft movements a day and this is projected to grow to up to 300 a day by 2020,” she said.
The Leichhardt Council report shows that Sydney Airport’s failure to comply with the Long Term Operational Plan (LTOP) Targets for noise sharing over Sydney is making the situation worse.
North flight route suburbs such as Leichhardt, Lilyfield, Annandale and Rozelle should be receiving no more than 17 per cent of all aircraft movements while in practice the North is experiencing almost double at 28 per cent.
Cr Porteous said the Joint Study on Aviation Capacity in the Sydney Region does not address opportunities to replace the current airport rather it considers ways to optimise and supplement its current use.
“The consequence of this for Leichhardt LGA and the many other residents living under Sydney Airport’s flight paths is many more aircraft movements and much more aircraft noise.” She said.
“Council wants to see the Federal Government expedite the construction of a new airport for the Sydney Region and no expansion of Sydney Airport.
We want to see compliance with the LTOP Targets for noise sharing and no reduction in the current respite periods.”
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