Noise sharing
Airservices Australia have advised that if residential developments are permitted under major aircraft flight paths at Canberra International Airport (defined broadly by the High Noise Corridor), at locations such as Tralee, Environa and The Poplars (all in NSW), as a consequence day and night aircraft noise could be shared across large parts of Canberra and Queanbeyan. This is known as noise sharing.
It is the current intention of Airservices Australia to not redesign the Noise Abatement Areas due to the rezoning of residential areas in the High Noise Corridor. Canberra International Airport strongly supports this policy.
Despite such policies, and the knowledge of such policies by residents who move to a residential area located under flight paths, the experience in Canberra and around Australia is that after land developers have sold their interest and moved onto other projects, future generations of residents lobby for both operational restrictions on the airport and for noise sharing. If noise sharing were to result, this would have a negative effect on the lifestyle of residents of Canberra and Queanbeyan who are currently largely free from aircraft noise. This issue is exacerbated in Canberra because the federal electorate in which the potential residents of Tralee, Environa and The Poplars are located is a key marginal electorate.
Airservices Australia has advised that if these currently rural areas in the High Noise Corridor (Tralee, Environa and The Poplars) are to be rezoned as residential, then it is highly likely that community pressure will increase and future generations of residents of these areas will call for noise sharing across Canberra and Queanbeyan:
"Airservices Australia has ample experience from dealing with communities around airports Australia-wide to know that aircraft noise is very likely to become a major issue for potential future residents of "Tralee" should the proposal go ahead. If this occurs there would then be pressure for relief measures, such as placing restrictions on the operations of the Airport and for the "sharing" of noise by spreading the tracks over areas currently protected by the Noise Abatement procedures. The latter option would be particularly unfair to the current residents of those areas who may have purchased their properties in the expectation that they would not be subjected to unacceptable aircraft noise."
Airservices Australia, 8 October 2002.
"Airservices Australia, which also monitors aircraft noise and flight track information, said evidence existed both domestically and internationally to suggest that aircraft noise concerns and complaints may become a growing issue should the Tralee development proceed.
Airservices Australia spokesperson, Richard Dudley said under the Air Services Act (1995), Airservices Australia has a duty to protect the environment from the effects of, and effects associated with, aircraft operations.
One of the ways we meet this duty is to design and implement flight paths well away from residential areas. When this is not possible, we minimise as far as practicable the impact of flight paths by using airspace above non residential areas such as golf courses.
'What we have with Tralee is a proposal that intends to place residential areas underneath existing flight paths,' Mr Dudley said.
Airservices Australia acknowledges that the proposed development is not unacceptable in terms of the Australian Standard AS2021-2000.
However, Airservices Australia considers the merits of the proposed Tralee residential development should be carefully weighed in light of the organisation's experience in other comparable circumstances.
This shows that the public perception of noise will become an issue for future generations of residents of Tralee. If this occurs, Airservices Australia will have very little scope to provide noise respite to the Tralee residents.
Noise Abatement Areas, specifically created by Airservices Australia over five years ago to offer a level of protection to the residents of much of Canberra and Queanbeyan, will be at risk.
'It is also highly likely that other Canberra and Queanbeyan residents, who currently do not experience aircraft overflights, may well do so in the future if we are placed in a situation where we are required to re-distribute noise to provide respite for future Tralee residents.' Mr Dudley said."
Airservices Australia, 16 August 2002.
If homes are built at Tralee, Environa and the Poplars, then residents under the flight paths are highly likely to exert pressure on the Commonwealth Government to change the flight paths, forcing aircraft to fly over Canberra and Queanbeyan to disperse (or 'share') the effects of noise over the whole community.
If houses are permitted to be built in the High Noise Corridor, it is possible that the Noise Abatement Areas could be abolished. This is because it would make no sense to continue to force the airlines to fly around the suburbs of Canberra and Queanbeyan at great cost (and increased greenhouse emissions) to protect the community from 55-65dBA of noise per jet overflight when the NSW Government is allowing new housing in the High Noise Corridor exposed to 65-75dBA of noise.
Whilst these outcomes could become a reality if houses are built in the High Noise Corridor, Canberra Airport will actively oppose these outcomes. Canberra Airport believes that the best option for the residents of Canberra and Queanbeyan is to ensure the High Noise Corridor is kept free from further residential development so that noise sharing is not required and so residents of Canberra, Queanbeyan and the region can continue to have a fully operational airport and be protected from noise.
