Tara Murray, Michaela Meade
Brimbank and Hume councils have expressed concerns about the impact proposed changes to planning controls at Melbourne Airport could have on residents.
The councils partnered to make a joint submission to the Melbourne Airport Environs Safeguarding Standing Advisory Committee (MAESSAC), which is seeking feedback on a range of changes it has proposed to address the safeguarding of the airport.
The changes include giving greater statutory weight to the National Airport Safeguarding Framework (NASF), while giving more importance to noise contours which indicate potential noise exposure to properties.
Brimbank council tabled the submission at last week’s council meeting, stating the two councils supported some of the proposed changes, but were concerned about the impact of others.
They are against the proposal to elevate the noise contours into the planning scheme and give them statutory power, which would impact what residents in certain areas can do with their property and land.
Brimbank council said it considered that the MAESSAC had not achieved an appropriate balance between protecting the airport and enabling the appropriate growth and development of Brimbank or Hume.
“Developing appropriate policy to safeguard its operations should not be about Melbourne Airport’s operational needs trumping (at all cost) the strategic imperatives to deliver housing and economic growth,” the joint submission said.
“The position which appears to be adopted… to support this notion is one that is lacking in substance, untested, lacking in evidence and has the very real danger of severely stifling long held and strategically justified planning policy.”
Hume council was due to table its own report discussing the submission after deadline.
