High Noise Corridor
Canberra Airport first outlined a High Noise Corridor Plan for public consultation in December 1999, identifying areas underneath arrival and departure flight paths in and out of Canberra Airport as areas unsuitable for residential development. A background paper detailing this area as prohibited for new residential development was released in April 2001, and was open for public consultation for 90 days.
Bounded by the Canberra and Queanbeyan Noise Abatement Areas, the High Noise Corridor extends north-south along the approach and departure flight paths of the main runway (Runway 17/35) to a distance of 8nm (14.8km) from the Airport. It also extends approximately 4nm (7.4km) to the east to protect the flight paths of turboprop aircraft on arrival to Runway 30.
The purpose of the High Noise Corridor Plan is to designate an area in which noise-sensitive land uses should be prohibited. The principle prohibited land use is residential property, but also includes schools and hospitals. The High Noise Corridor is ideal for Industrial and Commercial purposes ('employment zones'). Indeed, the proximity of part of this zone to Hume makes the southern High Noise Corridor an ideal location for an industrial employment centre for the region.
The Canberra Airport High Noise Corridor is a prime example of how the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Balanced Approach to Aircraft Noise can be employed in practice. The High Noise Corridor, taking advantage of greenfields sites around the Airport and proposing a prohibition on all new residential developments under the northern and southern flight paths to a distance of 8 nautical miles from the Airport, combines the noise abatement operational procedures (ie: Noise Abatement Areas) implemented in 1995 with a comprehensive land-use planning regime.
If governments decide to allow residential development directly under flight paths in the High Noise Corridor, the noise protection system that is in place and has worked well in the past to prevent aircraft noise exposure to the overwhelming majority of residents of Canberra, Queanbeyan and the region will break down. Airservices Australia has indicated in an August 2002 press release that if some of the proposed residential developments are approved within the High Noise Corridor, noise complaints are likely to result and the Noise Abatement Areas could be at risk from noise sharing.Airservices Australia has stated that if redistribution of noise is required, it is highly likely that the residents of Canberra and Queanbeyan who currently do not experience aircraft overflight may well do so in the future. This process is called noise sharing. Canberra International airport is actively opposed to noise sharing.
The results of consultation were as follows:
- Strong bipartisan political support was received for the High Noise Corridor as well as from regulatory authorities and industry. The Queanbeyan City Council opposed the proposal.
- Key community groups, most notably the Jerrabomberra Residents' Association, supported the proposal.
- Support was also received for the High Noise Corridor from the property development industry. No opposition was received from the industry through the consultation process. Note that Village Building Company commenced vigorous opposition to the High Noise Corridor more than 12 months after consultation was completed as they had subsequently purchased an interest in an area of land in the Corridor in 2002.
- Opposition was received from those residents located in the eastern portion of the Corridor on the approaches to the cross Runway 30. Their concerns were regarding the extent of the Corridor to the east of the Airport.
Since 2001, Canberra Airport has constantly reviewed its High Noise Corridor including reducing the easterly extent of the corridor and reducing the northern and southern boundaries from 10nm to 8nm from the Airport.
