Melbourne Airport welcomes new State Government Planning Controls

The new planning controls are tailored specifically to protect land under current and future Melbourne Airport flight paths, based on detailed noise forecast maps endorsed by Airservices Australia. The overlay will safeguard development in these areas, ensuring new houses or extensions are built in a way that reduces the risk of residents experiencing excessive aircraft noise in future.

Melbourne Airport CEO Chris Barlow said the new measures are welcome news for the airport, for the local community and for Victoria.

"It is vitally important for the growth of Victoria that it has a successful airport which is able to expand to meet the State's needs into the future. This new overlay is an excellent commonsense outcome for the airport and, more importantly, for the local community. Not only does it provide greater certainty for airport development, it also enhances protection from future aircraft noise for our neighbours as the airport continues to grow," said Mr Barlow.

The absence of a night curfew at Melbourne Airport remains an important strategic advantage for Victoria and the local airport community. In 2002/03 it was calculated that 24-hour operation at Melbourne Airport contributed around AUD127 million to Gross State Product and AUD45.5 million to the local value of production. At that time, it was estimated the imposition of a night curfew on Melbourne Airport would see Victorian employment fall by around 6,330 positions, while employment in the local airport region would likely fall by almost 1,000 jobs (2003 Melbourne Airport Economic Impact Study).

"The new planning controls will protect Victoria's important strategic advantage of curfew-free airport operations by ensuring resident amenity is protected as the airport expands."